National Safety Council Launches Worker Fatigue Tool

Fatigue is something that every worker will experience at some point or another. Maybe you didn't get enough sleep the night before, or perhaps you've been working a long shift. Regardless, when fatigue begins to settle in, it can increase the risk of injury.

The Dangers of Worker Fatigue

So, just how much of a problem is worker fatigue? Statistics show that being awake for 17 hours has the same effects of a having a blood alcohol content of 0.05. Being awake for at least 24 hours, however, has the same effects of having a blood alcohol content of 0.10. Fatigue slows your reaction times, clouds your judgement, and ultimately makes you more susceptible to injury.

Worker Fatigue Tool

In an effort to protect against worker fatigue, the National Safety Council (NSC) in conjunction with the Brigham and Women's Hospital has released a new tool. Available for free at the official NSC.org website, the tool is designed to estimate the cost of worker fatigue for employers. When workers are fatigued, it typically results in a lower productivity levels, more errors and a higher rate of injury. By using the NSC worker fatigue calculator tool, however, employers can estimate the cost of worker fatigue.

The general idea behind the tool is to emphasize the cost of worker fatigue so that employers will take a more proactive approach towards monitoring workers for signs of fatigue and discouraging those who are fatigued from working.

"The National Safety Council has teamed with Brigham and Women's Hospital to develop an easy-to-use online tool, where employers can receive a tailored estimate of how much fatigue is costing their bottom line. The calculator will estimate how much of the burden can be avoided with programs implemented in the workplace," explained the NSC on its website.

The calculator workers by allowing employers to submit the industry in which they work, the number of employees who work for them, and the types of shifts those employees work. The calculator will then determine the total, estimated cost of fatigue, which it breaks down into health costs, lower productivity and absenteeism.

As an employer, you probably don't think of fatigue as being a major cost. Nonetheless, it can and will take a toll on your business's finances. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the cost of worker fatigue, beginning with monitoring workers for signs of fatigue. If you believe a worker is fatigued, ask him or her to take a break or quit their shift early.