Todd Jerome Jenkins, MS, CSP, SMS, CHST, STSC

Safety Aficionado & Ph.D. Student

How to recognize and manage fatigue at work

Management of fatigue and workplace safety

A fatigued person is someone who is physically or mentally worn out. Fatigue plays a significant factor in many incidents, whether on the job or at home. It has been scientifically proven that fatigue is caused by your body’s inability to recover properly. About a quarter of the adult population reports feeling fatigued at some point during the working day [1].  

What is fatigue?

When fatigued, you feel tired, exhausted, worn out, or sleepy. A lack of sleep is the primary factor that causes you to feel fatigued. It has been well established that prolonged stress, anxiety, or mentally intense activities can worsen fatigue.

Causes of fatigue

Several factors can trigger fatigue. The mental and physical demands of a working day can contribute to fatigue. The following factors may cause fatigue:

  • Having to work long hours, rotating shifts, or working at night
  • Disruptions while sleeping. 
  • Depending on what study you read, people need anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The most beneficial sleep is uninterrupted sleep, that is, prolonged sleep.
  • Conditions in the environment. Extreme temperatures lead to fatigue. Temperature extremes can result from the heat of the summer or the cold of the dead of winter. The environment can exhaust the body’s resources requiring rest to replenish.
  • The general physical and mental demands of work and life.
  • Work and home life stress.

Symptoms of fatigue

We have all experience fatigue at some point in our lives. Supervisors need to pay attention to their employees, and workers need to remain self-aware. Some things to watch for include:

  • drowsiness or lethargy
  • mental errors
  • short term memory loss
  • trouble concentrating
  • slower response times

Hazards associated with fatigue

  • affects the ability to make reasonable decisions
  • decreases effective communication skills
  • reduces the ability to manage stress
  • negatively impacts attention and reaction time
  • decreases efficiency and performance
  • can result in severe injury or fatality

Managing Fatigue

Fatigue in the workplace has many factors; because of this, there is not a single solution. It is necessary to implement multiple strategies when combating fatigue. Some steps that anyone can take include:

  • Minimize sleep loss. Know how much sleep you need to function correctly. Most people need 8 hours of sleep, but some can function on less.  
  • Practice healthy sleep habits. These habits include sticking to a schedule, sleeping each night simultaneously, and waking up at the same time each day. Remove all distractions from the bedroom, which should be used for sleeping. Avoid taking naps during the day. Avoid caffeine or other stimulants a few hours before bedtime. Stay away from alcohol right before bed as well. Make the room comfortable, quiet, dark, and keep the room at a comfortable temperature, ideally between 65- and 75-degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Stay away from stimulants. Stimulants will work for a short period, but the body needs to rest and recharge. Workers should avoid coffee and stimulants. Stimulants come with their own set of issues.
  • When necessary, minimize schedule changes to reduce overtime or swing shifts, schedule appropriate days away from work to rest, and recoup. Never schedule someone to work more than 12 hours in a day. Avoid working long hours for multiple weeks and avoid working more than six days without at least two consecutive days off.

Employees can combat fatigue by doing the following

  • If you are feeling fatigued, let your manager or supervisor know.
  • Sleep and rest should be your top priorities.
  • Understand the signs of fatigue, both in yourself and others.

Final thoughts

The bottom line is that we all experience fatigue. It is essential to recognize and control fatigue for workplace safety. Ensure you get adequate rest and listen to what your body is telling you. It is possible that fatigue can contribute to accidents that result in injuries.  

References

Sadeghniiat-Haghighi, K., & Yazdi, Z. (2015). Fatigue management in the workplace. Industrial psychiatry journal, 24(1), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.160915

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