The average adult in the UK gets only 6 hours and 20 minutes of sleep per night, which is well below the recommended 8 hours. Whether it is due to poor sleep quality, shift work or a medical condition, it is estimated that 1 in 3 people of the population suffers from sleep deprivation.
What exactly is fatigue? It is a general term that combines feelings of; reduced energy levels, drowsiness, tiredness and exhaustion, which leads to an incapacity to concentrate or increase effort to perform tasks without error (Dinges, 2001).
According to Uehli (2014), workers who have sleep problems have a 1.6 times higher risk of injury, than workers without sleep problems and about 13% of work injuries are attributed to sleep deprivation. This statistic rises with shift workers who typically only get 5 - 6 hours of sleep per 24 hours.
Most people will feel the effects of short-term or ‘acute’ fatigue, at some time in their lives due to temporary changes such as; a bereavement, a relationship breakdown or a new baby. This will lead to them taking more ‘mental breaks’ (daydreaming) during the day, which of course has implications for safety.
Not everyone will experience ‘chronic fatigue’ which comes from long term problems such as insomnia, apnea or depression. However, for those that do, it will severely diminish their ability to fully function both mentally and physically.
Whatever the reason for fatigue, it is felt on an individual basis and to varying degrees of severity.
Here are some of the symptoms that will increase workplace risk;
- slower reaction
- making more mistakes
- lapses in concentration
- lack of self awareness
- lack of attention to surroundings
- underestimation of risks
- irrational decision making
- reduction in coordination
- decline in communications
- loss of situational awareness
According to the HSE, fatigue is is said to cost the UK £115 - £240 million per year in terms of work accidents alone. This is in addition to the immeasurable cost of the loss of human life and the effect on people’s families.
It is a legal requirement for employers to manage workforce fatigue. The implications for safety are obvious and particularly in dangerous working environments, such as on the railway.
In a report by the RSSB, in the rail industry, fatigue was found to be the cause of 20% of high-risk incidents.
This is why Network Rail have recently revised their Fatigue Reduction Standard, to ensure that managing this particular safety risk is inclusive and based on ‘trigger conditions’ rather than on number of hours worked. They have published a fact sheet, which sets out the standards and signposts to additional support.
They are also proactive in supporting people who need help with fatigue, with appointed Fatigue Reduction Leads, a Fatigue Yammer Group and Fatigue Events, for example. These help to remove the stigma that people experiencing fatigue are either being lazy, not pulling their weight or are weak. Instead workers are encouraged to talk openly, either in formal groups or 1:1’s to ensure they are supported and have strategies that keep them safe.
Good sleep hygiene is recommended for everyone, but is particularly important for people who are experiencing poor sleep quality. These are some good habits to adopt to improve sleep hygiene and manage fatigue in the workplace…
