Excessive fatigue-which afflicts approximately 38 percent of the American workforce-can lead to an increase in a workplace's injury rate, according to a guidance statement from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
ACOEM published the guidance statement " Fatigue Risk Management in the Workplace" to aid occupational and environmental physicians in forming fatigue risk management systems for employers of all types. Among the risks fatigued employees run are slowed reaction time, reduced vigilance, reduced decision-making ability, poor judgment, distraction during complex tasks, and loss of awareness in critical situations-things that can lead to more accidents in the workplace.
The report suggested that fatigue can adversely impact personal health and safety as well as the efficiency and safety of the workplace. Each year, the ACOEM wrote, sleep disorders cost employers $60 billion in lost productivity, industrial accidents, and medical expenses.
To overcome fatigue in the workplace, the ACOEM suggested: waking up at the same time everyday if possible; avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine before bed; exercising (but not within 3 hours of going to bed); sleeping in a dark, quiet and cool room; and keeping a sleep diary to record sleep patterns and problems.
