Sleep Disorders and the Effects On Human Factors Issues Associated with Workplace Incidents

Sleep disorders can be a major factor in determining safe performance in the workplace. Companies with continuous operations that require personnel working shift need to have systems in place that caters for the additional risk that sleep disorder brings.

Studies highlighted in the Journal of Sleep Research article titled “Work hours, sleep patterns and fatigue among merchant marine personnel “concluded that a large percent of marine accidents are the result of sleep associated human error. Also according to the results of a US National Commission on Sleep Disorders research, driver fatigue behind the wheel caused by sleep deprivation is one of the leading safety hazards in the transportation industry.

While shift work may be necessary for maintaining productivity, it also has inherent risks. Factors that can affect shift workers are sleepiness/fatigue leading to poor concentration, absenteeism, accidents, errors, injuries, and fatalities. Shift workers often employed in critical but potentially hazardous jobs such as in operating of industrial facilities are especially at risk.

Modern catastrophes such as the failure of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the crash of the Exxon Valdez, costing billions of dollars and loss of lives have been attributed partly to sleep related human fatigue (US National Sleep Foundation).

 Recognizing, understanding and addressing sleep related issues improve employee morale, performance, safety and health, and the bottom line of a company.

This paper seeks to highlight the effect that sleep disorders can have on the human body, its effect on safety in the workplace and the need to control this human factor to manage risk.