Injury at Work Caused by Tiredness
According to the Occupational Road Safety Alliance, 25% to 30% of road traffic collisions involve somebody who was using the road for work purposes. Not only is night time a peak time for accidents, but the middle of the afternoon is also a period where there is a higher chance of an accident occurring due to driver tiredness.
However, it is not just driver fatigue that is an issue. Tiredness can also lead to other operator errors and the HSE has noted that the frequency of injuries in an engineering company increased during the afternoon and especially evening shifts.
Health and safety regulations require employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees while at work. Employers also have a responsibility to ensure that others are not put at risk by the work related activities of their fellow employees. Consideration of how work is undertaken should include thought being given to risks posed by employee tiredness for example caused by excessively long hours of work or other overly strenuous job requirements.
An assessment may reveal that the tasks a company is requiring its workers to undertake are simply too much for the worker to undertake within one day without increasing the risk to safety posed by tiredness. Still, many employers fail to consider these factors and take appropriate action to combat risks arising in this crucial area.