Over the past decade, it has become readily apparent in the United States that we have a sleeping problem. There have been repeated reports on the fact that Americans are getting less and less sleep. In addition, the sleep that they do get is not quality sleep. This national problem can cause more issues than just having a grumpy morning at work. Sleep-deprived workers are more prone to being injured at work. Sleep deprivation has many causes, and experts state that there is not just one issue bothering American workers. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30 percent of American adults are sleep deprived. This can obviously significantly increase the risk of being injured at work. It is estimated that every year, approximately 275,000 workers suffer from injuries related in some fashion to being sleep deprived.
Chronic Fatigue
How can being chronically tired at work increase a worker’s risk of suffering a work injury? Being tired is one thing. Everyone can be tired at work for a period. For example, everyone gets a little tired after having a big lunch. What we are talking about is more than just being tired occasionally. We are talking about being fatigued at work. Suffering from fatigue does not just happen overnight. Being in a state of fatigue takes time, having consistent lack of sleep night after night and routinely disrupting the circadian rhythms. Therefore, what could cause a person to be in a constant state of fatigue? Here are some possible answers:
- Chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure
- Stress and anxiety
- Too much computer screen time before bed
- Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea
- Inconsistent work schedules, such as working third shift and switching to different shifts
How Does Chronic Fatigue Cause Work Injuries?
Being in a state of chronic fatigue can put your body and mind in a condition that is prone to making mistakes. Here are the major ways that chronic fatigue can affect an employee’s ability to work safely:
- Dozing off and falling asleep while on the job, using dangerous machinery or even driving a work vehicle
- Not falling asleep, but zoning out where the employee is not paying attention to what they are doing
- Lack of concentration while performing dangerous tasks
- Being forgetful about following safe procedures that are designed to protect workers
- Lowering of the overall health of the employee and decreased physical ability, exposing the employee to increased risk of physical injuries
West Chester Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC Have Been Helping Injured Pennsylvania Workers for Decades
Sleep deprivation can cause serious and debilitating work injuries in almost all types of industries. You may not think you would be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in a case such as this. But that is not true. The West Chester workers’ compensation lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC are here to fight for your rights to receive the benefits for which you are entitled. Contact us online or call us at 610-594-1600 for a free consultation today. We are located in Exton, Pennsylvania, where we serve clients throughout Downingtown, West Chester, Exton, Coatesville, Phoenixville, Malvern, Lyndell, Wagontown, Uwchlan Township, Parkesburg, Chester Springs, Lancaster County, Reading, and Morgantown.