Feel Tired in the Workplace?

8/3/2021 (Permalink)

A worker sitting in his office at desk feeling tired with his head on his laptop.

Depending on your work shifts, how many continuous days you’ve worked, or the stress of your job, its easy to get too tired to work safely. There are many things someone can do to help stay awake.

- Use the buddy system: check in with each other, see how they are handling the work hours and the demands. Watch your coworkers for signs of fatigue, such as yawning, having a hard time keeping their eyes open, or difficulty concentrating. Also be mindful of yourself, and be aware if you’re showing any of these signs as well. If you see any of your coworkers having any of these problems, say something. They may not even realize they are doing it. By speaking up, this can help prevent workplace injuries and errors.

- Find out if your employer has a program to help manage fatigue on the job. Ask questions to see if there are policies and procedures for helping employees manage fatigue.

- If there were any near misses, or events that were caused by fatigue, tell a manager right away. This will help help prevent injuries or errors.

- Don’t work if your fatigue threats the safety of yourself or others. Talk to your manager right away if you feel you can not work safely.