Work and Fatigue
Work and Fatigue
Fatigue has been described as “a feeling of weariness, tiredness or lack of energy.”1 In workplace settings, it is commonly associated with nonstandard schedules which disrupt or shorten sleep. Examples of nonstandard schedules include night shift work and extended work hours. Nearly 30% of the American workforce has a work schedule that is outside of a “regular daytime shift.”2 One in four workers reports working more than 40 hours per week. 3 Fatigue can also be associated with other workplace factors, such as:
- Stress
- Physically or mentally demanding tasks
- Working in hot environments
It can stem from several different factors and its effects extend beyond sleepiness.
Fatigue can:
- Slow down reaction times
- Reduce attention or concentration
- Limit short-term memory
- Impair judgment
High levels of fatigue can affect any worker in any job. It has serious consequences for worker safety and health. Fatigue-related safety issues can occur every day, as tired workers drive on public roads, raising public health and safety concerns.4, 5
To keep workers safe and healthy, organizations should:
- Learn the risks for fatigue-related events.
- Identify the sources of fatigue.
- Use strategies to prevent and manage fatigue.
- AJIM Special Issue: Working hours and fatigue: Meeting the needs of American workers and employers
- Shift-Work Schedule Intervention for Extending Restart Breaks after Consecutive Night Shifts: A Non-randomized Controlled Cross-Over Study
- A Scoping Review of Sleep Education and Training for Nurses
- NTSB Investigation: Work rest issues contribute to offshore supply vessel collision with oil and gas platform
- NIOSH Science Blog, Tips to adapt to daylight savings time, 2nd most viewed in 2022
- Call for papers: “Rethinking Occupational Fatigue and Recovery: Towards Sustainable Healthy Work”
- Conference: Work, Stress, and Health, November 8-11, 2023
- Conference: SLEEP 2023, June 3-7
About the Center for Work and Fatigue Research
The mission of the NIOSH Center for Work and Fatigue Research is to expand work on health and safety risks related to nonstandard schedules and other sources of fatigue. The Center works to develop practical, effective solutions to address these risks. To achieve these goals, the Center collaborates with researchers, policymakers, employers, workers, and health and safety professionals.
2021 CWFR Performance One-Pager
Contact the Center for Work and Fatigue Research
References
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
2 2015 National Health Interview Survey, Occupational Health Supplement.
3 2019 Bureau of Labor Force Statistics, Current Population Survey.
4 National Safety Council. Drowsy Driving. https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/fatigued-driving
5 National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drowsy-driving