Much has been written about the adverse effects of fatigue in the workplace. According to the National Safety Council, “13% of workplace injuries can be attributed to fatigue.” Moreover, more than “37% of employees are sleep-deprived. Those most at risk work the night shift, long shifts, rotating shifts or irregular shifts.” This erratic schedule characterizes the work schedule for many construction workers.
SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND FATIGUE ARE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES AFFECTING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Construction executives need to be aware that poor sleep habits can lead to poor performance on the job and pose a significant safety risk to employees. It is well documented that some of the most disastrous on-the-job accidents, such as the grounding of the Exxon Valdez and the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, can be traced back to a sleep deficit or someone sleeping on the job.
Many construction crews live on the road and are subject to variable shifts, which can impact sleep drastically. A quick review of the research published on sleep and mental health clearly shows a link between high rates of sleep disturbance and an increased risk of death by suicide. One study, published in the Journal of American Medical Association JAMA Psychiatry, conducted a 10-year follow-up of 400 older adults regarding sleep and risk for death by suicide. The results concluded proper sleep and sleep deprivation impact suicidal ideation and behavior.
Specifically, the results of the study indicated “that poor subjective sleep quality is associated with increased risk for death by suicide 10 years later, even after adjustment for depressive symptoms. Disturbed sleep appears to confer considerable risk, independent of depressed mood, for the most severe suicidal behaviors and may warrant inclusion in suicide risk assessment frameworks to enhance detection of risk and intervention opportunity in late life.”
The construction industry has a problem with suicide. A recent analysis by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention identified the construction industry as the highest industry for completed suicides based on an analysis from 17 states.
The national average for completed suicides is 14.5 per 100,000 people in America. However, the number for those in the construction industry is a staggering 53.2 completed suicides per 100,000 construction employees. That is 3.6 times the national average.
The reason for this high rate and number of suicides in construction is multifactorial, but this article focuses on the benefits of construction workers and companies addressing sleep deprivation and sleep quality. The construction industry has a high rate of suicide and sleep has a huge impact on mental health status.
What can construction leaders do about this concern? Make sure discussions about the importance of sleep are a regular part of safety meetings. Don’t just bring it up, but talk frequently and extensively about it. Make sure crews adequately understand that good, quality sleep is not only important to their mental well-being, but to their safety on the job.
There are four quick points to drive home regarding proper sleep:
There are tangible benefits to the safety of team as measured by alertness after napping. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that napping improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%. How many construction accidents could have been avoided if just one person was more alert?
Shift work poses its own set of sleep problems, but research suggests that naps before work and the consumption of caffeine can improve alertness and performance among night shift workers. Keep the nap short to avoid sleep inertia. Research suggests that 10 minutes is optimal, and timing is everything. Try not to nap too close to regularly scheduled sleep and keep naps short.
The CDC has declared insufficient sleep as a “public health problem,” with more than one-third of American adults not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. It’s no fun catching employees asleep on the job, but this issue is really how they sleep off the job.
Sleep is one of many factors that contribute to the well-being of all individuals. In considering the mental health impact of poor sleep habits, one suicide in this industry is one too many. Management should talk about this issue early and often in safety meetings—and can sleep better knowing that they did.
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