Fatigue with season change

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# Is fatigue a workplace issue? (cont.) ## What are some factors that are related to fatigue? (cont.) narcolepsy Illness, medical conditions, and pharmaceutical products (including over-the-counter medications) can also affect sleep length and sleep quality. For example, substances such as nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol can affect the quality of sleep. Caffeine can remain in the body for about 3 to 7 hours. Alcohol may shorten the time to fall asleep, but it disrupts sleep later in the night. Nicotine also can disrupt sleep and reduce total sleep time. ## Is jet lag or the change to daylight savings related to safety issues? Jet lag is the result of a mismatch between a person's circadian rhythm and the time of day in the new time zone. Similarly, this effect can be felt when there is a hour adjustment when clocks move ahead to daylight savings time. Employers may wish to help minimize the impact of these changes by educating workers about the hazards associated with fatigue, allowing flexible hours for a day or two, scheduling major changes or tasks for a different time, and checking in with workers to determine if they are experiencing any impacts. There are reports of increased incidents when daylight savings time begins (in the spring), especially incidents involving transportation and heavy machinery. There are also reports of increased traffic incidents following the end of day light saving time (the adjustment in the Fall). Factors may include that there is less light (visibility), especially during morning and evening rush hour drives. ## How can a workplace address fatigue? Fatigue can be addressed through the workplace's safety management system, or as a separate fatigue management program. Creation of a program that addresses both workplace and personal factors may include to: - identify the hazards and conduct a risk assessment for factors associated with fatigue - develop and implement the organization's response to when a person is experie…

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# Is fatigue a workplace issue? (cont.) - failure to respond to changes in surroundings or information provided, - unable to stay awake (e.g., falling asleep while operating machinery or driving a vehicle), - increased tendency for risk-taking, - reduced physical capacity, - reduced performance, such as a reduced ability to do task or job - increased forgetfulness, - increased errors in judgement, - increased sick time, absenteeism, rate of turnover, - increased medical costs, and - increased incident rates. ## What are some factors that are related to fatigue? Work-related factors may include long work hours, long hours of physical or mental activity, insufficient break time between shifts, changes to jobs or shift rotations, inadequate rest, excessive stress, having multiple jobs, or a combination of these factors. Fatigue is increased by: - dim lighting, - limited visual acuity (i.e., due to weather), - high temperatures, - high noise, - high comfort, - tasks which must be sustained for long periods of time, and work tasks which are long, repetitive, paced, difficult, boring and monotonous. Sometimes, a sleep disorder such as those disorders that may affect the length or effectiveness of sleep, cause extended wakefulness, or cause disruptions to our circadian rhythms may result in fatigue. You should ask your doctor or health professional for more information. These conditions include: - insomnia - sleep apnea - restless legs syndrome Fatigue CCOHS

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# Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Heat (cont.) ## Programs and Procedures (cont.) - Develop first aid procedures to assist a person experiencing heat stress. Note that heat stroke is a medical emergency and medical help should be called immediately (911 or local emergency services). Provide first aid until medical helps arrives. - Ask the health and safety committee to address extreme heat events and climate change - Provide access to mental health resources (e.g., EAP) and consult with workers about scheduling, stress, and fatigue to encourage a psychologically safe work environment ## Training Train supervisors and workers on how prevent heat stress, and how to recognize the signs and symptoms. All workers should know how to respond if heat stress is suspected, and what to do in an emergency. Please see the OSH Answers Hot Environments - Health effects and First Aid for more information. ## What can workers do? - Participate in education and training - Understand the signs and symptoms of heat stress and how to recognize in others. Notify your supervisor immediately if you or your coworkers begin experiencing any signs and symptoms - Immediately notify your supervisor if you have any health and safety concerns, such as working outdoors in extreme heat or when there is poor ventilation - Take breaks in cool and shaded areas and drink plenty of water during hot days - Provide feedback and suggestions to your supervisor or the health and safety committee (or representative) about ways to make your work less physically demanding and more efficient - When appropriate, wear light and breathable clothing - Wear sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent sunburns ## Where can I find more information? Please see the following OSH Answers for more information: Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Heat CCOHS

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# Human Error, Work Environment & Impacts (cont.) ## Impact of Fatigue on Quality of Life (cont.) Fatigue has been shown to cause sig- nificant and frequent Fatigue that results from extended work periods has been linked to adverse behavior and habits such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and smoking, which, in turn, may cause health problems. Table 3 health impacts. Lagging Indicators of Fatigue <table><tr><th>Effects of fatigue on performance</th><th>Quality of life impacts</th></tr><tr><td>Reduction in quality</td><td>Gastrointestinal irregularities</td></tr><tr><td>Reduction in productivity</td><td>Coronary heart disease</td></tr><tr><td>Increased severity of injuries</td><td>Stress</td></tr><tr><td>Increased frequency of injuries</td><td>Hypertension</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Sleep complaints</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Injuries at home</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Slow recovery from illness</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Unhealthy diet</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Lack of exercise</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Smoking</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Suicide due to overwork</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Cardiovascular disease</td></tr></table> frequent health impacts such as coronary disease, hypertension (Dembe, Erickson, Delbos, et al., 2005), diabetes (Harma, 2006), insomnia (Taris, Beckers, Dahlgren, et al., 2007) and injuries (Sparks, et al., 1997) among workers in multiple industries. Additionally, fatigue that results from extended work periods has been linked to adverse behavior and habits such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and smoking, which, in turn, may cause health prob- lems (van der Hulst, 2003). Several Japanese studies found that extremely long working hours (systematically working more than 60 hours a week) can have severe effects on health, such as Table 4 karoshi (death from overwork) and karojisatsu (suicide due to overwork) (Amagasa, Naka- yama & Takahashi, 2005; Methods for Kawakami & Haratani, 1999; Nishiyama & Johnson, 1997; Preventive measu…

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# Is fatigue a workplace issue? Everyone should be concerned about the impact of fatigue as it can be considered a form of impairment, making fatigue a workplace hazard. However, fatigue levels are not easily measured or quantified; therefore, it is difficult to isolate the effect of fatigue on incident and injury rates. Workplace factors that may influence fatigue are shift rotation patterns, balanced workloads, timing of tasks and activities, availability of resources, and the workplace environment (e.g., lighting, ventilation, temperature, etc.). However, be sure to consider other factors beyond a lack of sleep including mental fatigue, such as mental workloads, demanding mental activities or stress, long periods of anxiety, or long periods of monotonous tasks, etc. Many studies focus on the amount of sleep required. Some research studies have shown that when workers have slept for less than 5 hours before work or when workers have been awake for more than 16 hours, their chance of making mistakes at work due to fatigue are significantly increased. Research has shown that the number of hours awake can be similar to blood alcohol levels. One study reports the following: - 17 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05 21 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.08 (legal limit in Canada) - 24-25 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.10 Fatigue is regarded as having an impact on work performance. Government of Alberta, Labour* reports that most incidents occur when people are more likely to want sleep - between midnight and 6 am, and between 1 to 3 pm. Government of Alberta, Labour also reports that fatigue affects people differently but it can increase a worker's hazard exposure by: - reducing mental and physical functioning, - impairing judgement and concentration, - lowering motivation, - slowing reaction time, and - increasing risk-taking behaviour. *Source: Fatigue, Extended Work Hours, a…

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# Is fatigue a workplace issue? (cont.) ## How can a workplace address fatigue? (cont.) - develop administrative practices such as maximum hours of service, appropriate shift rotation, extended workdays, reducing or eliminating the need to do high risk activities between certain hours (e.g., between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.), etc. - maintain a consistent work schedule, where possible. - assess physical and mental job demands. - provide appropriate work, where possible. For example, try to offer a variety of tasks that vary in interest and movement throughout the shift. - consider not scheduling any critical or demanding tasks following a time change or when workers have travelled (jet lag). - provide lodging or areas to rest or sleep, where appropriate and necessary - educate and train about fatigue, including recognizing signs and symptoms of fatigue, how to gauge alertness, or steps to help achieve better sleep - provide medical screening for health issues that may affect sleep - provide mental health services, including employee assistance programs (EAP), as needed - include fatigue as a possible factor and related causes of fatigue when investigating incidents For more information, please see the following OSH Answers documents: - Extended Workday: Health & Safety Issues - Rotational Shiftwork - Employee Assistance Programs ## How much sleep do people need? It varies, but on average studies say we need at least 7 to 9 hours every day. Studies have reported that most night shift workers get about 5 to 7 hours less sleep per week than the day shift. (You can accumulate a sleep "debt", but not a surplus.) Humans follow an "internal" or "biological clock" cycle of sleep, wakefulness, and alertness. Although these circadian rhythms are influenced by external clues such as the sun setting and rising, it is the brain that sets your pattern. Most cycles are 23-25 hours long and there are natural dips or periods when you feel tired or less aler…

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# EXTREME WEATHER (cont.) Industry Affected Population New Hazards/ Vulnerabilities Occupational Health Effects Work Related Factors Individual Factors Locations Most Affected # EXTREME AMBIENT TEMPERATURES <table><tr><th>Transportation</th><th>Truck drivers, public transportation operators, hazardous waste material transport drivers, construction drivers, public transportation systems (e.g., rail workers, mass-transit system workers)</th><th>Heat stress/ stroke, decreased chemical tolerance, cold stress</th><th>Heat stress (dehydration, heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat fatigue, heat syncope/ fainting, heat stroke), cardiovascular disease, fatigue, cold stress (frost bite, hypothermia, chilblains)</th><th>Work practices, work/rest cycles, access to water, access to AC/ heating in transportation, amount of time spent on route</th><th>Age, weight, degree of physical fitness, degree of acclimatization, metabolism, use of alcohol or drugs, medical conditions, prior heat injury, clothing worn</th><th></th></tr><tr><td>Energy sector</td><td>DOE facility workers, renewable energy workers, alternative energy workers, miners, oil refinery workers, electric power workers, nuclear facility workers, pipeline construction and maintenance workers, shale gas/oil extraction workers</td><td>Heat stress/ stroke, decreased chemical tolerance, cold stress</td><td>Heat stress (dehydration, heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat fatigue, heat syncope/ fainting, heat stroke), cardiovascular disease, fatigue, cold stress (frost bite, hypothermia, chilblains)</td><td>Work practices, work/rest cycles, access to water, access to shade/ cooling/heating, properly worn PPE</td><td>Age, weight, degree of physical fitness, degree of acclimatization, metabolism, use of alcohol or drugs, medical conditions, prior heat injury, clothing worn</td><td>Indoor and outdoor; urban and rural</td></tr><tr><td>Emergency Response</td><td>Emergency responders, EMT, firefighters, di…

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CCOHS Q CCHST Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety + Centre canadien d'hygiène et de sécurité au travail Climate Change # Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Heat ## On this page Are we experiencing warmer weather? What are the impacts on worker health and safety? How can a workplace plan for extreme heat events? What control measures can the employer put in place? What can workers do? Where can I find more information? ## Are we experiencing warmer weather? Yes. All regions in Canada are experiencing warmer weather, and temperatures will continue to increase. According to Canada's Climate Change report (2019), Canada's annual average land temperature has warmed by a best estimate of 1.7°C since 1948 with higher increases observed in the North, the Prairies, and northern British Columbia. This increase in temperature may pose significant health risks to workers due to heat-related illnesses. Employers have a general duty to take all precautions reasonable to protect their workers, as well as specific legislative requirements regarding workplace temperatures (e.g., occupational exposure limits). This document provides guidance on how to protect workers from extreme heat events and how to make work environments safer. ## What are the impacts on worker health and safety? Heat The effects of warmer weather include more extreme heat events which can cause significant health issues such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and other heat stress related illnesses. Higher temperatures for longer periods of time can increase the risk of injuries due to fatigue, lack of concentration, poor decision making, and other factors. A reduction in productivity may also occur. Climate Change: Extreme Weather - Heat CCOHS

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CCOHS CCHST Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Centre canadien d'hygiène et de sécurité au travail # Health Promotion / Wellness / Psychosocial # Fatigue ## On this page <table><tr><th>What is fatigue?</th><th>Is jet lag or the change to daylight</th></tr><tr><td>What are the causes of fatigue?</td><td>savings related to safety issues?</td></tr><tr><td>Is fatigue a workplace issue?</td><td>How can a workplace address fatigue?</td></tr><tr><td>What are the signs of fatigue?</td><td>How much sleep do people need?</td></tr><tr><td>What are the effects of fatigue and their relationship to work?</td><td>How can I get a "better" sleep?</td></tr><tr><td>What are some factors that are related to fatigue?</td><td>What are some tips for "good" eating habits that help encourage sleep?</td></tr></table> ## What is fatigue? In occupational health and safety, there is not a single definition of fatigue. Fatigue is often thought of as the state of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy resulting from various sources such as insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Boring or repetitive tasks can intensify feelings of fatigue. Fatigue can be described as either acute or chronic. However, fatigue can include mental, physical, or subjective states. For example, as summarized by the CSA Group's report on workplace fatigue, these states include: - Mental state: - Reduced mental capacity - Inattentive - Indecisive Fatigue CCOHS

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# Is fatigue a workplace issue? (cont.) Signs and symptoms of fatigue can vary, and include: - weariness, - tiredness, - sleepiness, including falling asleep against your will ("micro" sleeps), - irritability, - reduced alertness, concentration and memory, - reduced ability to be productive, - mentally tired, - physically tired, - lack of motivation, - depression, - boredom, - giddiness, - headaches, - loss of appetite, - digestive problems, and - increased susceptibility to illness. What are the effects of fatigue and their relationship to work? Consequences of fatigue can include mental and physical performance, Studies report the effects of fatigue as: - reduced decision making ability or cognitive processing, - reduced ability to do complex planning, - reduced communication skills, - reduced productivity or performance, - reduced alertness, attention and vigilance, - reduced ability to handle stress on the job, - reduced reaction time - both in speed or thought, as well as the ability to react, - loss of memory or the ability to recall details, Fatigue CCOHS