Every day, workers across the country are too tired to stay safe and if you regularly struggle with fatigue due to working many hours, it is crucial to understand the risks you face on the job. Sadly, fatigue can significantly increase the likelihood of an accident and it can also disrupt other aspects of a worker’s life, such as their stress levels and diet.
From feeling pressured by a supervisor to work more to struggling as a workaholic, there are many reasons why workers put in too many hours each week and develop fatigue.
The impact of job-related fatigue
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, many people in the U.S. work for more than 40 hours every week and have irregular shifts, which can lead to job-related fatigue. Unfortunately, this fatigue can affect a worker’s level of alertness and lead to an accident on the job. For example, some workers are too tired to identify or avoid certain hazards at their place of work and fatigue can also make workers more susceptible to illnesses. Work-related fatigue can also threaten the safety of co-workers.
The options available to workplace accident victims
Whether you were injured in an accident because you were too tired due to excessive work hours or a co-worker caused you to sustain an injury because they were very tired, it is important to take a look at your options. Sometimes, workers’ compensation benefits are a lifeline for injured workers in this position and filing a lawsuit is also necessary, depending on the details of what took place. Sadly, these accidents sometimes claim lives and result in lifelong immobility.