A good night’s sleep is essential to a productive day at work. According to the CDC, adults should be getting
seven to eight hours of sleep per night in order to be fully rested during the day. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more common to sacrifice these precious hours of sleep for more work hours. A
recent study found that workers who recorded sleeping 6 hours or less per night also worked 1.5 more hours during the weekdays and 1.8 more hours during the weekends. Those who work two or more jobs are also
61% more likely to sleep less than the required amount of hours.
Unfortunately, when worker’s don’t get the recommended amount of sleep at night, sleep deprivation starts to set in. Signs of sleep deprivation include
numerous symptoms such as:
- Impaired brain activity
- Memory problems
- Moodiness
- Weight gain
- Weakened immune system
- High blood pressure
All of these symptoms, especially impaired cognitive ability, affect the way workers perform at their jobs. When employees are fatigued, they pose potential risks to themselves and others depending on what the job entails.
Dropping Heavy Materials
In a lot of blue collar industries, workers are expected to carry, push, or pull heavy materials. In the construction industry, for example, workers regularly lift and carry materials weighing up to
50 pounds. Because sleep loss affects your heart’s ability to function properly, it makes it much more difficult to lift heavy items. When things aren’t lifted properly, injuries to the back, arms, neck, or legs are the most common result – and when people aren’t sleeping properly, they also can’t
recover from their injuries as quickly. Because of this, getting adequate sleep is vital for blue collar workers; and in addition to getting the recommended amount of sleep at night, workers should always use
proper lifting techniques when carrying heavy items.
Mishandling of machinery equipment
Most large machinery and equipment have stickers that warn workers against operating these vehicles while fatigued. There’s a reason these labels exist: when workers suffer from sleep deprivation, it’s all too easy to doze off while operating big rigs or other dangerous equipment. Employees that have been struck by mishandled equipment or caught in equipment make up about
13 percent of worker related injuries per year; a lack of sleep makes these scenarios much more likely. But by sleeping the recommended seven to eight hours as well as following all safety instructions on equipment,these numbers could drop.
Various workplace accidents
When workers are tired, various workplace mishaps and accidents are much more prevalent. For example, when fatigued, people tend to spill things more so than when they are properly rested. Because workers are drowsy, they sometimes bump into shelves or storage containers where materials are housed. When bottles of liquid such as oil, lubricants, or fuel spills, it’s important to clean them up quickly to avoid further accidents. We suggest using a good spill
absorbent product that will clean up these materials quickly and efficiently.
In conclusion, it is very important to get the recommended amount of sleep per night. Although it may be tempting to stay up to get extra work done, staying in bed refreshes your body and mind for a hard day’s work – and ensures that you’ll be able to continue coming to work as long as possible.
