2021-12-28 22:08:46
WORK AND FATIGUE
Fatigue has been broadly described as “a feeling of weakness, tiredness, or lack of energy.”1 In workplace settings, it is commonly associated with nonstandard schedules, such as night shift work and extended work hours, which disrupt or shorten sleep. Fatigue can also be associated with other workplace factors such as stress, physically or mentally demanding tasks, or working in hot environments. It can stem from a number of different factors, and its effects extend beyond sleepiness. Fatigue can slow down reaction times, reduce attention or concentration, limit short-term memory, and impair judgment.
High levels of fatigue can affect any worker in any occupation or industry with serious consequences for worker safety and health. Learning the risks for fatigue-related events, identifying the sources of fatigue, and using strategies to manage fatigue will help keep workers safe and healthy.
The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Center for Work and Fatigue Research is to expand on established work on health and safety risks related to nonstandard schedules to include other sources of fatigue. Examples include physically and mentally demanding work, co-morbidities, hot environments, and other co-exposures. The center works to develop practical, effective solutions to mitigate these risks through collaboration with researchers, policy makers, employers, workers, and health and safety professionals.
In addition, the NIOSH Director’s Seminar Series addresses health and safety risks associated with workplace fatigue, evidence-based strategies to reduce these risks, and future directions for research. Among the related seminars presented in 2020: “Reducing Fatigue- Related Work” and “Fatigue Mitigation in EMS — Let’s Talk About Evidence, Tailored Recommendations, and Worker Health.” Recordings of these archived presentations are currently available on the NIOSH website.
For more information, contact: www.cdc.gov/niosh.
1 A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia [Internet]. Fatigue: [reviewed 2019 Apr 16; cited 2020 Dec. 12]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003088.htm
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Work It Safe
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