“Sleeping On The Job” Is Widespread – And Expensive

“Sleeping On The Job” Is Widespread – And Expensive.
There are low-cost, highly effective ways to relieve fatigue workers report feeling by changing how they work. In the process, employers improve productivity, reduce lost time and slash injuries. – By Isaac Rudik

Despite early, fluttering signs of economic recovery, companies continue to push employees to do more, faster, longer and harder. Businesses feel a genuine need to keep squeezing budgets, capitalizing on every opportunity to produce more efficiently while keeping staff counts as low as possible.

The result is an epidemic of fatigue among Canadian workers. According to a recent Angus Reid survey, well over half of all respondents claim they don’t get enough rest at night and suffer periods of low energy at work; nearly as many state it adversely affects their job performance.

While most employers won’t be adding jobs until the economy truly begins recovering sometime next year, there are low-cost and highly effective ways to relieve some of the fatigue workers feel by changing how they work even if they can’t fix how much they work. In the process, they’ll improve productivity, reduce lost time and slash the likelihood of costly injuries, whether accidental or because of problems at workstations.

Deadly Effect

Recently, the potentially deadly effect of fatigue was vividly demonstrated in British Columbia.

Faced with unemployment, a worker accepted a job that required a five hour commute to work and home every day. Compounding the problem, after years of working days, he was put on a night shift. Driving home one morning after eight consecutive shifts, his car crashed after he fell asleep while driving. Police say he was killed instantly.

Partially in response to the fatal accident, WorkSafe BC released information on workplace fatigue and ways to prevent it, noting that when people don't get enough sleep, their performance suffers. They have slower reaction times, difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

While the fatal accident is an extreme example of how fatigue affects workers, the fact is it contributes to two types of common workplace injuries:

• Non-accidental injuries sees pain result from normal activities. Poor body mechanics such as slouching in an office chair or sitting in it for too long, prolonged activity, repetitive motion, standing in one position for a prolonged period and fatigue are major contributors.
• Accidental injuries happen when something unexpected happens when working. A load slips or shifts as it is being lifted, or a slip-and-fall causes an employee to hit their head are typical examples.

Ergo Ergonomics

Ergonomics reduces the risks by adapting the workplace to each worker, depending on what they do and their physical condition.

Fortunately, there are countless, cost-effective products that can reduce injury risks by using ergonomics in their design.

In offices, chair backs that subtly enforce good posture are widely available. To avoid replacing an office full of otherwise perfectly good chairs, supplemental back supports are available. So, too, are specially designed wrist rests for people who do repetitive tasks at a computer.

Meanwhile, factory ergonomics have improved markedly in recent years, and a wide range of products are available, including:
• Anti-fatigue mats
• Scissor lifts
• Tilt trucks
• Mobile carts
• Proper workstation seating.

At the same time, there are ergonomically sound material handling dollies, carts and accessories which remove repetitive movements from a worker’s routine and reducing fatigue levels.

Today, anything that reduces fatigue makes workers more productive, improves profitability and cuts the risk of costly accidents.






Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.

E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.