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SAFETY MOMENT, AUGUST 9

What OSHA says about fatigue

Safety moment, August 9

What OSHA says about fatigue

A tired worker reacts slower, misses hazards and makes more mistakes, often without noticing. Fatigue builds up from long shifts, night work, heat, hard physical work, stress and too many short nights in a row. Around equipment, heights or traffic, one slow reaction can be enough to get someone hurt.

SAFETY MOMENT

August 9

The hazard

A tired worker reacts slower, misses hazards and makes more mistakes, often without noticing. Fatigue builds up from long shifts, night work, heat, hard physical work, stress and too many short nights in a row. Around equipment, heights or traffic, one slow reaction can be enough to get someone hurt.

The action

OSHA has no specific standard for worker fatigue and no general limit on work hours. The general duty to train still applies: in construction, the employer must instruct each employee in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions and the regulations that apply to their work environment. Treat working while overly tired as a hazard like any other, and know any fit-for-duty or scheduling rules your company has. (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2))

ASK THE CREW

What signs tell you that you are too tired to work safely?

From the talk: Worker fatigue. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.

HOW TO USE IT

How to give a safety moment

  1. Gather the crew where they work, before the shift or the meeting starts. Read the hazard out loud.
  2. Ask the question and let two or three people answer. What they say about their own work counts for more than what you read.
  3. Name the action and point to one place on today's job where it applies, so everyone knows what to do differently.
  4. Write the date and the names on a sign-in sheet.

A safety moment is short and does not replace the full talk. When you want to go through a topic with the crew, pick a free toolbox talk.

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