Has this ever happened to you? You are driving down the road when ALL OF A SUDDEN you realize you are crossing into another lane or driving off the road? You wake up just in time to avoid a collision or incident. Many drivers are too late. Drowsy drivers are a major danger on the road. More than 100,000 motor vehicle crashes each year are a result of drowsy driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates.
Because of their work schedules, shift-workers are at a significant risk for drowsy driving incidents. Studies from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), indicate that about 25% or higher, reported having a traffic accident or close call in the last year.
Driving while fatigued is a problem for a number of reasons. According to NSF, drowsiness has a number of physical side effects that can impair driving, including tunnel vision, shortened attention span and reduced reaction times. Drowsy drivers can’t process information as quickly or as accurately as an alert one. This makes it much more difficult for a drowsy driver to become aware of a potential accident and react to it.
Fact or Fiction
Many people have misconceptions about sleep, which NSF dispels:
Caffeine can overcome drowsiness while driving. Only sleep can truly overcome drowsiness. Caffeine may make you feel more alert, but the results are temporary. People who take stimulants while severely sleep-deprived are likely to have “micro sleeps,” which are essentially four to five second naps. A vehicle traveling at 55 mph can cover more than 100 yards in four to five seconds.
I’m a safe driver so it doesn’t matter if I am sleepy.
The only safe driver is an alert driver. When fatigued, ever the BEST drivers become confused and use poor judgment.
I can’t take naps.
Despite the fact that many people insist they cannot nap, sleep-deprived people can usually nap if they give themselves the chance. Even if you think you can’t nap, pull over and recline for about 15 minutes. It is likely you will be able to fall asleep. Always be sure you do so in a safe area and lock ALL your doors.
I can tell when I am going to fall asleep.
Most people believe they can control and predict when they are about to fall asleep, NOT TRUE. A drowsy person can fall asleep without even being aware of it. People are also unable to tell how long they have been asleep. It only takes a few seconds of sleep to cause a major collision or incident.
When Drowsiness Strikes
Under no circumstances should you drive while drowsy. Turning up the radio, rolling down the window, getting out of the care and running, or slapping yourself (I know you have done at least one of these) are not effective means of waking yourself up. The ONLY remedy for drowsiness is sleep.
If you find yourself becoming sleep while behind the wheel, other signs include:
· Drifting in and out of your lane
· Driving over the rumble strips
You should pull over immediately. YOU HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP!!!
Some options for getting home safely include:
· taking a nap on the side of the road
· calling someone to drive you home
· taking a cab or public transportation
Drowsy driving incidents most often occur when a driver is alone in the vehicle. Carpooling provides someone who can alert a driver of danger and can take over behind the wheel if necessary.
You can also take measures to prevent drowsiness from happening. The average person requires about seven (7) to nine (9) hours of sleep. Try and stick to a regular sleep schedule where you are getting this amount of sleep. Shift-workers may have more difficultly maintaining a regular sleep schedule. If you are required to sleep in the daytime hours, be sure to keep your room as dark as possible. You can wear a sleep mask. Run a fan or use other constant noise to block outside sounds.
Good uninterrupted sleep is essential for safety on the job and on the road.
Every day an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces. The financial cost of these injuries is enormous–more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers compensation. No dollar figure can adequately reflect the personal toll these accidents take on the injured workers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the 25 states and territories operating their own job safety and health programs are determined to help reduce eye injuries. In concert with efforts by concerned voluntary groups, OSHA has begun a nationwide information campaign to improve workplace eye protection.
Take a moment to think about possible eye hazards at your workplace. A 1980 survey by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of about 1,000 minor eye injuries reveals how and why many on-the-job accidents occur.
WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO EYE INJURIES AT WORK?
• Not wearing eye protection. BLS reports that nearly three out of every five workers injured were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident.
• Wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job. About 40 of the injured workers were wearing some form of eye protection when the accident occurred. These workers were most likely to be wearing eyeglasses with no side shields, though injuries among employees wearing full-cup or flat-fold side shields occurred, as well.
WHAT CAUSES EYE INJURIES?
• Flying particles. BLS found that almost 70% of the accidents studied resulted from flying or falling objects or sparks striking the eye. Injured workers estimated that nearly three-fifths of the objects were smaller than a pin head. Most of the particles were said to be traveling faster than a hand-thrown object when the accident occurred.
• Contact with chemicals caused one-fifth of the injuries. Other accidents were caused by objects swinging from a fixed or attached position, like tree limbs, ropes, chains, or tools which were pulled into the eye while the worker was using them.
WHERE DO ACCIDENTS OCCUR MOST OFTEN?
Craft work; industrial equipment operation. Potential eye hazards can be found in nearly every industry, but BLS reported that more than 40% of injuries studied occurred among craft workers, like mechanics, repairers, carpenters, and plumbers. Over a third of the injured workers were operatives, such as assemblers, sanders, and grinding machine operators. Laborers suffered about one-fifth of the eye injuries. Almost half the injured workers were employed in manufacturing; slightly more than 20% were in construction.
HOW CAN EYE INJURIES BE PREVENTED?
Always wear effective eye protection. OSHA standards require that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. To be effective, the eyewear must be of the appropriate type for the hazard encountered and properly fitted. For example, the BLS survey showed that 94% of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted from objects or chemicals going around or under the protector. Eye protective devices should allow for air to circulate between the eye and the lens. Only 13 workers injured while wearing eye protection reported breakage.
Nearly one-fifth of the injured workers with eye protection wore face shields or welding helmets. However, only six percent of the workers injured while wearing eye protection wore goggles, which generally offer better protection for the eyes. Best protection is afforded when goggles are worn with face shields.
Better training and education. BLS reported that most workers were hurt while doing their regular jobs. Workers injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often said they believed it was not required by the situation. Even though the vast majority of employers furnished eye protection at no cost to employees, about 40% of the workers received no eye safety training on where and what kind of eyewear should be used.
Maintenance: Eye protection devices must be properly maintained. Scratched and dirty devices reduce vision, cause glare and may contribute to accidents.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
• The OSHA website or your nearest OSHA area office. Safety and health experts are available to explain mandatory requirements for effective eye protection and answer questions. They can also refer you to an on-site consultation service available in nearly every state through which you can get free, penalty-free advice for eliminating possible eye hazards, designing a training program, or other safety and health matters.
o Don’t know where the nearest federal or state office is? Call an OSHA Regional Office at the U.S. Department of Labor in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, or Seattle.
• The National Society to Prevent Blindness. This voluntary health organization is dedicated to preserving sight and has developed excellent information and training materials for preventing eye injuries at work. Its 26 affiliates nationwide may also provide consultation in developing effective eye safety programs. For more information and a publications catalog, write the National Society to Prevent Blindness, 79 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016-7896.
EYE PROTECTION WORKS!
BLS reported that more than 50% of workers injured while wearing eye protection thought the eyewear had minimized their injuries. But nearly half the workers also felt that another type of protection could have better prevented or reduced the injuries they suffered.
It is estimated that 90% of eye injuries can be prevented through the use of proper protective eyewear. That is our goal and, by working together, OSHA, employers, workers, and health organizations can make it happen.
This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 523-8151. TDD message referral phone: 1-800-326-2577.
U.S. Department of Labor
Program Highlights
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 92-03
Every employer has a responsibility to make sure all employees have a safe and stable work enviroment. These employees should have access to safety equipment and information at anytime they are on the jobsite. These employees should be able to go to their superiors with fears or concerns about safety without fear of termination or retaliation. In order to accomidate employees in such a fashion, we have compiled a short and condensed version of what an employer of the construction industry should have documented and in place for emergencies or for an OSHA inspection.
Management Commitment to Safety and Health
•Employers and managers should lead by example. If your employee sees a superior taking safety seriously, they will too!
•Assign Safety and Health Responsiblities to employees. If you involve and rotate employee responsibities, everyone will feel important and compliant.
•Give the assigned employees to correct minor issues. When a subordinate is give a little more power than their position requires, they are more likely to do what it takes to keep earning your trust and respect.
•Assure your employees that they may voice their concerns regarding safety without any reprocussions. These employees are the front line guys and they often see the danger in a position before a manager does. Listen to what they have to say and respect their position on safety. Most state laws protect whistltblowers, so check your states regulations.
•Inform employees of any hazards that you are aware of. Again, it is the employer’s responsibility to safeguard their employees, so keep the lines of communication open.
•If you are sharing a worksite with other companies or their employees, it is your responsiblity to commincate any known hazards to them. Share a safe workplace.
•Post the OSHA state or Federal poster where all can see it. Employees have a righ to know the law.
Hazard Identification and Determination
•Carefully evaluate all operations, procedures, facilities, and equipment to identify hazards to employees and others.
•Monitor exposure levels of noise, air quality, heat, electricity, silica or dust, and moisture.
•Set aside time to do routine inspections. If you create a habit of safety awareness, you will create a timeless good habit.
•If you have an accident, conduct an investigation. The best way to prevent history from repeating itself it to identify and address the factors that caused the accident to begin with.
•Do a PPE assessment. For every position within construction, evaluate the potential dangers associated with that assignment, then create a list of personal protection equipment that should be worn while performing these tasks. Determine if it goes beyond simple protection and what procautions should be taken. Document all of your findings.
Hazard Elimination and Control
•Inspect and ensure all machines and tools are in proper working order with relevant standards.
•Develop positive practices with workplace safety and health so that it becomes second nature.
•Housekeeping is a must. Jobsites should be free of debris and cleaned up daily to ensure the safety of others.
Emergency Response Planning
•Develop emergency response plans for your jobsite. If you are in an industry where your jobsite changes frequently, you still need to have a response plan. These do not have to elaborate, but clear enough to communicate what needs to be done in case of an emergency.
•Have an emergency route to evacuate injured employees. If your jobsite is in a new development area that the emergency response team may not have access too, have in a convienent location that is easily accessable by all employees. Use established landmarks and turn by turn directions.
•Have a list of all the jobsite emergency contact information including any pre-existing medical conditions and allergies that emergency personel may need to know.
Training
•Employers should train employees to recognize hazards and unsafe working conditions and how to avoid them.
•Employers need to provide training on safe work practices, safe operation of machinery, and equipment, and how to recognize when things are not safe.
•Access ladders, stairways, confined space, and enclosed space entry hazards are all subjects that need to be trained and documented.
Recordkeeping
•You must record and post injuries and fatalities. This is otherwise known as the 300-log.
•Maintain medical records and exposure records for all employees and past employess.
•You must maintain all appropriate documents and tags for abatement purposes. If you do not have these items, it could mean hefty fines.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released the “Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) eTool,” its latest online safety-training resource. OSHA exists to ensure that all employers provide a safe workplace for employees by establishing and enforcing occupational standards as well as providing training and education on related topics; the agency maintains a strong presence in the industrial marketplace. The eTools, which date back to 1998, are interactive, Web-based training tools that cover a specific occupational safety or health topic. The Forklift eTool is the latest to join a library of more than 160 topics.
OSHA developed the content with input from expert members of the Alliance Program. The program partners OSHA representatives with labor unions, trade and professional associations, and educational institutions for regular cooperative interaction. Specific contributors to the Forklift publication included the Industrial Truck Association; the Association of Equipment Manufacturers; the American Forest and Paper Association; the Pulp and Paper Safety Association; and the Precision Metalforming Association.
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The statistics are in and again the safest place to be is at work. The number of lost workdays and recordables are decreasing. The number or significant worker injuries and deaths are slightly higher.
The real increases are coming in 2 areas, on-the-road vehicle incidents and at home. I have talked about vehicle safety previously, so let’s talk a little about home safety.
The Home Safety Council has a wonderful checklist which, you can share with your employees.
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Strains and sprains from manual materials handling are significant causes of workplace injury. Although lifting, placing, carrying, holding, and lowering are involved in manual materials handling (the principal cause of compensable work injuries), Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that four out of five of these injuries were to the lower back, and that three out of four occurred while the employee was lifting an object.
Management and workers should both be involved with analyzing and assessing manual materials handling job tasks for risk of injury. When a manual materials handling task has been assessed as a risk, the first control option should be redesign (i.e., redesigning the task so that the risk is completely eliminated). If this is not possible, the risk should be reduced through the use of mechanical aids and training.
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