Monthly newsletter of the Trucking Safety Council of BC, created, written and edited by communications and marketing manager, Leasa Hachey. Filled with occupational health and safety information and tips pertinent to the transportation industry, with a spotlight on trucking.
TRUCKING SAFETY COUNCIL OF BC Newsletter Inside this issue....... Warning Signs of Fatique ....................................Page 2 The Answer to Fatigue: Under Your Nose ...........Page 3 Free Safety Resources ........................................Page 4 Distracted Driving Dangers ..................................Page 5 Shift Into Winter .......................................................Page 5 Online Course: Beta Testers Needed ......................Page 7 Fatigue Prevention ..................................................Page 7 More Safety Resouces Available Online .................Page 8 October, 2011 Fatique: It’s More Than Just a Lack of Sleep Vol 2 Issue 10 The trucking industry is very familiar with the need to control drivers working hours. These controls are intended to make sure that operators have enough rest to safely perform their duties so that they are not a danger to themselves and other road users. While the reasonableness of the particular hours of service rules may be sub- ject to debate, the fact that fatigued workers can be a safety hazard is not. Hours of work rules, however, only control one cause of fatigue, a lack of sleep Fatigue is a serious occupational health and safety concern and is more than just not getting enough sleep. Fatigue can result from various disorders including medical causes, lifestyle or emotional concerns or stress. Depression, anxiety or grief can also cause fa- tigue, as can too little or too much sleep. The medical causes may include flu, glandular fever, anaemia, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, hypothyroidism, heart problems, cancer and other conditions. Fatigue is generally considered to be the state of feeling tired, sleepy or having a lack of energy regardless of the cause. Fatigue and sleepiness are not always recognized as the cause of workplace incidents. It is more likely that incident reports will iden- tify the immediate cause, rather than fatigue as the underlying cause. Studies have shown that fatigue effects include such behaviors as reduced decision making ability, reduced productivity and perfor- mance, reduced attention and vigilance, reduced reaction time - both in speed and thought (a few studies have shown this effect as similar to being legally drunk) and increased errors in judgment; among oth- ers. The performance of all workers, whether they are subject to hours of work controls or not, can be impacted by fatigue brought on by conditions both in the workplace and out. Learning to recognize the signs of fatigue and addressing its causes will make your work- place safer. Rob Weston Executive Director QUOTE OF THE MONTH: Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it. ~Author Unknown This month’s safety topic: Fatigue
Transcript
TRUCKING SAFETY COUNCIL OF BC
Newsletter
Inside thisissue.......
Warning Signs of Fatique ....................................Page 2
The Answer to Fatigue: Under Your Nose ...........Page 3
More Safety Resouces Available Online .................Page 8
October, 2011
Fatique: It’s More Than Just a Lack of Sleep
Vol 2 Issue 10
The trucking industry is very familiar with the need to control drivers working hours. These controls are intended to make sure that operators have enough rest to safely perform their duties so that they are not a danger to themselves and other road users. While the reasonableness of the particular hours of service rules may be sub-ject to debate, the fact that fatigued workers can be a safety hazard is not. Hours of work rules, however, only control one cause of fatigue, a lack of sleep
Fatigue is a serious occupational health and safety concern and is more than just not getting enough sleep. Fatigue can result from various disorders including medical causes, lifestyle or emotional concerns or stress. Depression, anxiety or grief can also cause fa-tigue, as can too little or too much sleep. The medical causes may include flu, glandular fever, anaemia, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, hypothyroidism, heart problems, cancer and other conditions. Fatigue is generally considered to be the state of feeling tired, sleepy or having a lack of energy regardless of the cause.
Fatigue and sleepiness are not always recognized as the cause of workplace incidents. It is more likely that incident reports will iden-tify the immediate cause, rather than fatigue as the underlying cause. Studies have shown that fatigue effects include such behaviors as reduced decision making ability, reduced productivity and perfor-mance, reduced attention and vigilance, reduced reaction time - both in speed and thought (a few studies have shown this effect as similar to being legally drunk) and increased errors in judgment; among oth-ers.
The performance of all workers, whether they are subject to hours of work controls or not, can be impacted by fatigue brought on by conditions both in the workplace and out. Learning to recognize the signs of fatigue and addressing its causes will make your work-place safer.
Rob Weston Executive Director QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it. ~Author Unknown
This month’ssafety topic:
Fatigue
Wake Up to the Warnings. Stop. Revive. Survive.By Tal Sperling
Fatigue is often more than just feeling tired. There is short term (acute) fatigue that can usually be reversed by sleep and relaxation, but there is also prolonged (chronic) weari-ness that is experience by your body. Many people expe-riencing fatigue mistakenly ignore the signals from their body thinking that they are just a little bit tired and can push through the task they are trying to accomplish. The prob-lem is that weariness is a condition that affects the body and when an individual is suffering from weariness, the body will shut down regardless of the person’s best intentions.
Some common effects of fatigue include:
• Reduced alertness• Slower reflexes and reactions• Reduced concentration• Impaired memory• Irritability and depressed mood• Drowsiness• Increased likelihood of going into “auto-pilot”, auto- matic behaviour where you perform routine tasks but aren’t having any conscious thoughts• Increased likelihood of “microsleeps”, up to 60 seconds where the brain goes to sleep and you black out no matter what you are doing• Lower resistance to the effects of alcohol and drugs• Higher risk of illness
In order to avoid these damaging effects while conducting tasks that could lead to hazardous situations, and most es-pecially while driving, it is important to be aware of the signs of fatigue.
If you experience any of these signs while driving, pull over and make sure you are refreshed before you continue on your way. It is better to be arrive at your destination a little bit later than to have a devastating accident as a result of fatigue.
Common signs of fatigue which may be experienced by drivers include:
Keep this motto in mind: Stop. Revive. Survive.
• Frequent yawning• Drowsiness• Difficulty keeping eyes in focus, or sore or tired eyes• Boredom• Loss of concentration and wandering thoughts• Feeling irritable or restless• Slow reactions• Reduced awareness of surroundings, for example apparent sudden appearance of vehicles behind or in front of truck• Memory lapses – no recollection of driving the last few kilometres• Failure to check rear view and side mirrors as frequently as usual• Inconsistent speed• Erratic shifting or braking• Drifting out of the lane• Missing a turn-off• Hallucinations• Nodding off
The Answer to Fatigue May Be Right Under Your NoseBy Leasa Hachey
safetydrivenSafetyDrivenBC
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Symptoms, Contributors and Treament of Sleep ApneaTypical symptoms or conditions that increase the odds:
Neck size greater than 17” (16” for women)Body Mass Index greater than 30Snoring/troubled sleep patternsDaytime drowsinessFrequent night urinationHypertensionDiabetesStrokeCardiovascular problems
Possible TreatmentOptions:
Weight lossNasal decongestantSleeping on the sideSurgeryOral applianceBreathing mask
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The tragedies of Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and the Exxon Valdez all occurred during the night shift.
In all three cases, worker fatigue was said to be a contributing factor in the tragedy. In an incident last March, an air traffic controller fell asleep on the job, forcing two commercial air liners filled with passengers to land without tower assistance at Reagan National Airport.
Fatigue is a critical occupational safety concern for shift workers and em-ployees who must work long hours, es-pecially workers in the transportation in-dustry. These workers also have a heavy responsibility for the safety of others, on the road, in the air or on the water. It is im-portant for workers and their employers to understand that although fatigue is a nor-mal response to a lack of sleep or disrupt-ed circadian rhythm and can usually be cured with sleep or rest, it is also often a sign of a physical disorder that may need medical attention, such as sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes a person to have pauses in their breathing or abnormally slow breathing while they sleep, often accompanied by loud snoring and resulting in nonrestful sleep. Left untreated, sleep apnea can have serious and life-threatening conse-quences, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, not to
mention workplace incidents caused by being tired or falling asleep.
Many people with sleep apnea don’t even know they have it. But the excessive daytime sleepiness which results has se-vere effects on reflexes and cognitive and motor skills, all of which are extremely important assets to safety in commercial transport.
This may help explain the widespread concern about sleep apnea in the trucking industry. Sleep apnea has not been prov-en to occur any more frequently in this in-dustry than in the general population. The heightened concern is due to the disas-trous consequences that can result from a fatigued commercial driver.
Studies show that truck drivers with sleep apnea have up to a 7-fold increase in risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash. Warehouse workers suffering from sleep apnea are also prone to serious and even fatal incidents. Failure to chock forklift wheels, tipping a forklift or operat-ing large equipment and machinery while fatigued can all have devastating results.
Sleep apnea is easily diagnosed and treated. If you think you or your workers may have sleep apnea, don’t lose any-more sleep over it: see a doctor for diag-nosis and treatment. In the meantime, limit activities, such as operating dangerous equipment and driving, until help is sought.
Free Safety Resources for Your WorkplaceThe TSCBC is pleased to offer resources to help
promote safety in the workplace.
We now have a selection of four OHS-themed posters available for download from our website (safetydriven.ca/trucking-safety-resources), with more to come in the future. Printed versions (11” x 17”) are also available for pickup from our office. Feel free to let us know if there is a particular workplace safety theme you’d like to see in a future poster.
Posters
DecalsWe have created a set of decals that can be applied to a truck cab, trailer or forklift as a visual reminder to enter and exit the vehicle safely. These decals send a targeted and effective message and make safety and compliance the building blocks of your success. Email us today at [email protected] with your shipping address and how many you require and we will send them to you. They are also available for pickup from our office.
In B.C., crashes are the number one cause of traumatic work-related deaths, according to WorkSafeBC
statistics. On average, approximately 30 workers in B.C. are killed each year while driving, and distracted driving, such as cell phone use, is a key factor in these crashes.
“As government, we have estab-lished aggressive legislation and police have done a good job of enforcement but really this is about your friends, fam-ily and colleagues, so set an example,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “We know these deaths and injuries are prevent-able. Let voicemail do its job or pull over. Safe driving requires your full attention.”
A recent Ipsos Reid survey conduct-ed on behalf of ICBC revealed that only
9 per cent of drivers think that commer-cial drivers are better than the general public at following B.C.’s new restrictions on the use of hand-held electronic devic-es while driving.
“Workers and employers in B.C. need to take steps to eliminate any risks or distractions and consider that when you’re behind the wheel, driving is your only job,” said Diana Miles, senior vice-president of Worker and Employer Ser-vices at WorkSafeBC.
To help workers and employers, new materials are now available to down-load on WorkSafeBC.com, including a sample safe-driving policy; tip sheets for employers, supervisors and workers; as well as a new video to help drive home the message even further.
“We need to shift our attitudes toward
distracted driving – we can all do our part to help create a culture where friends, fam-ilies and colleagues don’t expect you to answer the phone while driving,” said Fio-na Temple, director of road safety, ICBC.
“A distracted driver is not only com-mitting a traffic offence, they are being selfish and stupid,” said Chief Jamie Gra-ham, Traffic Committee Chair of the British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police. “That’s why police have been blanketing the province targeting and charging the people who just don't get it. You have to be responsible for your actions, pay atten-tion and focus on driving – you will help prevent a tragedy.”
For more tips on cell phone use while driving, and to see the new preventable.ca TV ad on distracted driving, go to drivecellsafe.ca.
Distracted driving poses a significant risk for workers
Distracted Driving: What You Need to Know
What employers need to know> Understand the issue> Understand your legal and regulatory requirements> Strengthen the road safety performance of your company> Educate and train your managers, employees and contractors
Employers, supervisors, and drivers can take steps to reduce the risk. Visit WorkSafeBC.com to download the following resources for your workplace:
What workers need to know> Before you get in your vehicle> Before you turn on the engine> When you’re behind the wheel
Fatigue Prevention
The success of fatigue prevention takes a joint effort by both the employer and employee. The Canada Labour Code requires every employer to ensure the health and safety at work of every person employed by the employer and that every employee takes all reasonable and necessary precautions to ensure their health and safety.
In order to understand how to combat fatigue you can take a risk management approach to assess both the work environment conditions and personal factors which may induce worker fatigue. Fatigue prevention can help you eliminate the potential undesirable conse-quences of workplace incidents which could be as severe as a workplace fatality.
By Andrew Chan
Categories Contributing Factors Solutions
Mental and physical demands of work
• Concentrating for extended periods of time.• Performing repetitive or monotonous work.• Performing work that requires continued physical effort.
• Improve job and task rotation.• Use tools and equipment that reduce physical demand.
Work scheduling and planning
• Work planning (e.g. Night work and extended shifts).• Tight time deadlines that do not allow workers enough time for travel to and
from work and/or to physically recover or socialize.
• Avoid or minimize working for extended periods of time, or at times when people are biologically programmed to sleep.
• Schedule adequate rest time between shifts
Environmental conditions
• Working in harsh and/or uncomfortable environmental conditions. Heat, cold and vibration are examples of environmental conditions that can cause work-ers to become tired more quickly and impair performance.
• Provide protective clothing such as warm clothing when work-ers must enter freezers or work in cold storage facilities.
• Ensure there is adequate lighting and ventilation and protection from vibration and noise.
Individual factors and factors outside work
• Lifestyle (e.g. family care responsibilities, voluntary work, more than one job, level of fitness, social life or diet)
• Home environment (e.g. noisy neighbours or a bedroom that is too hot or not dark enough for daytime sleep)
• Medical conditions (e.g. insomnia, sleep apnea, alcohol or drug dependence)
• Improved lifestyle choices.• A broad range of helpful tips are available on the web for im-
proving lifestyle and combating fatigue, such as actnowbc.ca• Talk to a medical professional to address medical issues.
You can start fatigue prevention by providing training and information to all employees on:
• The body clock and how it is affected by fatigue• Risk factors and symptoms of fatigue• Effective control measures for fatigue, such as work scheduling
• Effects of medication, drugs and alcohol• Nutrition, fitness and health issues relating to fatigue• Balancing work and life demands
Beta Testers NeededOnline OHS course ready for testing
The TSCBC is cur-rently creating online training courses to help in your workplace health and safety pro-grams. Our first course is in the final stages and requires testing.
We are looking for people in the trucking industry to test the course and give us
feedback. The short course titled “Making Dollars and Sense of Occupational Health and Safety” will take an average of 30 min-utes to complete and is taken completely online at your own speed and pace.
If you would like to help us beta test our first online course and give us input on how to improve our courses, please con-tact us today.
COR is an initiative that recognizes and rewards employers who develop and apply sustainable occupational health and safety programs that meet or exceed the applicable le-gal requirements and health and safety regulations.
Following verification by a TSCBC audit, companies will receive up to a 15% rebate on their WorkSafeBC premi-ums in each year they qualify.
Committ to a safer, healthier
workplace through COR.
Save up to 15% on your WorkSafeBC premiums.
Ask us how!Visit our website for more
informationsafetydriven.ca/cor
Next month’s safety
topic...Workplace
Dynamics
Trucking Safety Council of BC210 - 20111 93A AvenueLangley, BC V1M 4A9
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Interactive Hazard Identification
The best thing you can do to prevent injuries on the job is to stay alert and look out for hazards that could cause injuries. Sometimes this can be hard to do, especially if you are used to doing a certain job and everything you see in your work environment becomes second nature. This tool is meant to remind you that every day there are hazards that need to be avoided or fixed. Have a look at the workplace pictures and try to see if you can find all of the hazards.http://safetydriven.ca/trucking-injury-prevention
Forms and TemplatesVarious forms and templates are provided to assist companies with the im-plementation of safety policies and procedures and in meeting regulatory requirements and TSCBC Certificate of Recognition audit standards. The templates are generic in nature and should be reviewed and modified to ensure they address the specific operating conditions and risks of the com-pany. More are added weekly.http://safetydriven.ca/trucking-safety-forms-templates
Safety Alerts and Bulletins
These WorkSafeBC posters provide important safety messages for you and your workers. At the time each poster was originally produced, it reflected the current WorkSafeBC requirements. In all cases, today’s OHS Regulation and require-ments must be applied to the situation shown in each poster.http://safetydriven.ca/safety-alerts-bulletins
We are constantly adding information and resources to the Trucking Safety Coun-cil website. Please check back often to see what new and interesting content we have added!
