Sleep Impairment Is Work Impairment

Overview

Sleep Impairment is Work Impairment forms part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar, a coordinated program of national public education presented by The Sleep Society to improve sleep health awareness across Canada.

Alertness is fundamental to workplace safety. Sleep impairment caused by insufficient sleep, prolonged wakefulness, workload, circadian disruption, shift work or untreated sleep disorders can impair vigilance, reaction time, judgement and decision-making. Importantly, workers may not always recognize the degree to which their performance has deteriorated.

The consequences do not have to involve a major industrial disaster to be life changing. A momentary lapse in attention can result in injury to the worker, a colleague or a member of the public. By recognizing adequate sleep and effective fatigue management as essential components of occupational health and safety, employers and workers can help create safer, healthier and more productive workplaces.

Why it matters

Every workplace depends upon people being sufficiently alert to perform their duties safely. Sleep impairment can reduce concentration, slow reactions, increase errors and compromise judgement and decision-making. The risks become particularly important in safety-sensitive occupations involving transportation, healthcare, machinery, construction, emergency services and other work where a momentary error can have serious consequences.

History provides dramatic examples. Fatigue and circadian factors have been identified as contributing factors in major events including the Three-Mile Island nuclear accident, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Space Shuttle Challenger accident and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. These events helped demonstrate that fatigue is not simply an individual problem—it can become an organizational and public-safety issue.

Most workplace consequences are far less visible, but no less important to the people affected. A tired worker does not have to cause an international disaster for sleep impairment to matter. One mistake, one missed warning or one delayed reaction can permanently change a life.

Background

Sleep Impairment is Work Impairment is observed throughout November as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar. The initiative promotes greater recognition of sleep and alertness as fundamental components of workplace health, safety and performance.

Traditionally, workplace fatigue has often been regarded primarily as the responsibility of the individual worker: arrive rested, remain alert and work safely. Modern sleep and occupational science demonstrate that the issue is more complex. Work schedules, night work, extended shifts, workload, insufficient recovery time, circadian timing and untreated sleep disorders can all contribute to impairment.

Effective fatigue management therefore requires shared responsibility. Workers have an important role in obtaining sufficient sleep and recognizing factors that may impair alertness, while employers and organizations have responsibilities for scheduling, workload, workplace practices, education and fatigue risk management.

Recognizing sleep impairment as a workplace hazard does not diminish personal responsibility. It strengthens it by recognizing that safer workplaces are created when individuals and organizations understand the biological limitations of human alertness and work together to manage them.

Current activities

The Sleep Society and SleepSafeCanada are currently working to:

• Promote greater recognition of sleep impairment and fatigue as workplace health and safety issues.
• Increase understanding of how insufficient sleep, prolonged wakefulness, circadian disruption, shift work, workload and untreated sleep disorders can affect workplace performance.
• Encourage recognition that workers may not always accurately perceive their own level of sleepiness or impairment.
• Promote appropriate fatigue risk management, scheduling, education and workplace practices.
• Encourage greater consideration of sleep and alertness within occupational health and safety programs.
• Develop educational resources for workers, employers, healthcare professionals, safety professionals, labour organizations and industry.
• Support annual awareness activities throughout November as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar.
• Encourage collaboration with employers, labour organizations, occupational health and safety organizations, governments, insurers, healthcare organizations and industry.
• Build partnerships and national support to improve understanding and management of sleep impairment in Canadian workplaces.

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