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
Watch for yawning, heavy eyelids, nodding off, slow reactions, trouble focusing, forgetting steps, irritability and headaches. In yourself, an early sign is missing something you would normally catch. In a coworker, it can look like zoning out, careless mistakes or a short temper.
ASK THE CREW
Which tasks on our job are the most dangerous to do tired?
Takeaway: Treat fatigue like any other hazard: get real sleep, plan the hardest work for when you are alert, and speak up when you or a coworker is not fit for duty.
From the talk: Worker fatigue. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.