The National Safety Council (NSC) is calling on all employers to implement comprehensive programs \u2013 known as fatigue risk management systems \u2013 to tackle the issue of tired employees.<\/p>\n
Recent NSC research shows that 90 percent of America\u2019s employers have been negatively impacted by tired employees. Forty-three percent of employees admit they may be too tired to function safely at work.<\/p>\n
Not only does fatigue impact employees\u2019 wellbeing and safety, but the NSC reveals that it also costs the US economy more than $400 billion annually. An employer with 1,000 employees can expect to lose<\/a> more than $1 million each year in missed workdays, lower productivity and increased healthcare due to employee fatigue.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our 24\/7 world, too many employees are running on empty,\u201d said Emily Whitcomb, Senior Program Manager for Fatigue Initiatives at NSC. \u201cEmployees are an organization\u2019s greatest asset, and addressing fatigue in workplaces will help eliminate preventable deaths and injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n The NSC has outlined key elements of a fatigue risk management system in its paper Managing Fatigue: Developing an Effective Fatigue Risk Management System<\/a>. Another report from the Campbell Institute \u2013 the center for EHS excellence at the National Safety Council \u2013 details results from a pilot study conducted among world class safety organizations to assess worker fatigue and effective countermeasures. In Understanding Fatigue Risk: Assessment and Countermeasures<\/a>, the Campbell Institute identifies a persistent gap between how employers and employees view fatigue and makes the case for changing culture to enhance safety.<\/p>\n \u201cEven employers with state-of-the-art safety programs feel the negative effects of fatigue,\u201d said John Dony, Director of the Campbell Institute \u201cAs employers work to eliminate risks, we encourage them to implement fatigue risk management systems and lean on the Council and the Campbell Institute for help.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional information about workplace fatigue is available at nsc.org\/fatigue<\/a>.<\/p>\n