In The News

Do you live in a ‘hot’ zone or are you part of a ‘hot’ profession? Many regions of the country are experiencing strong economic growth and business development, while other professional and trade sectors are finding they can’t find enough employees to fill ever increasing demands for the work they do.

In such circumstances, overtime and long hours of work become the norm and high levels of stress, fatigue and sleep deprivation become inevitable.

Strategies for Health and Safety

Where circumstances result in high levels of stress and fatigue, it is critical that employees implement ‘fatigue-busting’ strategies.

Provide sources of water and encourage employees to drink water regularly throughout the shift.

Allow short rest breaks approximately every 90 minutes. These breaks don’t require that the employee leave the work area, but that they stop work for about 10 minutes to regenerate both physical and cognitive function.

Teach employees a series of stretches to regenerate both the brain and muscles.

Provide infusions of alertness promoting aromatherapy scents.

Ensure that lighting levels are adequate to promote alertness. This may require making ‘daylight’ lamps available at workstations.

Resources

To remind employees of these fatigue-busting strategies, post our Fatigue Busters Poster in all work areas and distribute the Fatigue Buster Bookmark to all employees.

Want to learn more. See our Publications and Presentations.