{"id":4681,"date":"2019-04-01T09:14:24","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T13:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/?p=4681"},"modified":"2019-04-01T09:14:24","modified_gmt":"2019-04-01T13:14:24","slug":"many-construction-transportation-and-manufacturing-workers-compensation-claims-are-due-to-fatigue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/many-construction-transportation-and-manufacturing-workers-compensation-claims-are-due-to-fatigue\/","title":{"rendered":"Many Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing Workers Compensation Claims are Due to Fatigue"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a report cited by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsc.org\/in-the-newsroom\/69-percent-of-employees-many-in-safety-critical-jobs-are-tired-at-work-says-nsc-report\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Safety Council,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 69% of employees say they suffer from fatigue at work. The report is titled \u201cFatigue in Safety-Critical Industries: Impact, Risks and Recommendations.\u201d The report is based on several studies \u2013 one of workers and another was of a more mathematical survey. The NSC studied the utilities sector in addition to the other named work sectors. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatigue at work can cause numerous types of accidents. The report noted that 90% of employers said that fatigue was impacting their businesses. Fatigue, employers understand, also decreases productivity in addition to causing workplace accidents. 72% of workers said they thought workplace fatigue was a safety issue \u2013 indicating a disparity between employer and employee views. Fatigue is especially dangerous in industry sectors where machines vehicles, equipment, and tools are part of the job. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tired truck drivers for example can easily crash into other vehicles, lose control of their vehicles, run red lights, speed, or driver off the highway. These type of <a href=\"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/practice-areas\/truck-accidents\/\" title=\"Truck Accidents\">truck accidents<\/a> often cause death. Survivors may suffer catastrophic injuries that leave them permanently disabled. Even workers who eventually can return to work need months or years of medical help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the other findings from the NSC report<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the transportation sector, 97% of employers thought that fatigue impacted their workers. This figure was the highest of all the sectors that were surveyed. 68% of workers admitted to sleep loss and 42% admitted to working long shifts \u2013 both are risk factors for fatigue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the utility sector, 95% of employers agreed that is not safe to drive while tired. Only 2\/3rds \u00a0of the employees said they agreed that tired drivers make for dangerous drivers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the construction industry, all surveyed workers said they had at least one risk factor for fatigue. 46% of the workers said they worked during times that were high-risk for fatigue \u2013 namely at night and early in the morning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The NSC\u2019s mission is to help prevent deaths at work and elsewhere. Founded over 100 years ago, in 1913, the NSC works with businesses, government, elected officials, and others to help prevent deaths. The fatigue report found that lack of sleeps results in $410 billion yearly in \u201csocietal expenses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Common accidents where fatigue plays a factor<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the construction industry, fatigue can easily cause a tired worker to <a href=\"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/practice-areas\/slip-and-fall\/\" title=\"Slip and Fall\">slip and fall<\/a>. Workers can be electrocuted if they don\u2019t follow safety rules. They can be hurt from falling objects. They can fall from scaffolds. They can be struck by moving equipment. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the manufacturing sector, tired workers use many different types of heavy machinery. If they\u2019re tired, these workers pose a risk to themselves and everyone in the workforce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tired drivers aren\u2019t paying attention to the traffic in front of them. They\u2019re slow to recognize emergencies and too slow to respond. For example, they don\u2019t apply the brakes quickly enough. They don\u2019t steer out of trouble. Many tired drivers are also easily distracted because they\u2019re grabbing for the coffee, rolling down the windows for fresh air, or doing other things to try to stay awake such as taking amphetamines \u2013 when they should just get off the roadway. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is precisely because tired truck drivers are dangerous drivers, that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has federal regulations. Drivers can only drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 hours of rest. There are limits on how many hours truck drivers can work during a 60-hour week and during a 70-hour week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Some of the symptoms of workplace fatigue<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common fatigue symptoms that workers and employers should be on the lookout for include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of energy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General tiredness and fatigue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constant yawning<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slow reaction times<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impaired decision making<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term memory loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lightheadedness or dizziness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Needing stimulants to stay awake<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><i>Common causes of driver fatigue<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working too many days in a row<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working night hours<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being deprived of sleep due to lifestyle choices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being deprived of sleep due to the need to take certain medications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heavy labor places a lot of wear and tear on a body and can tire people out<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing boring repetitive tasks all work day long<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working different shifts in the same week<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being absent from work<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced productivity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting into more accidents of any type<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making mistakes in job performance<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><i>How employers can address driver fatigue<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers should consider making the following workplace changes so that employees are energized so they can better focus on their job duties:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid double shifts \u2013 day work and night work<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid multiple night shifts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monitor the hours the employee is working better so they have time to get the rest they need<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure workers who do strenuous work and who do work long hours are able to take longer work breaks. Breaks should include time to drink, get a bite to eat, and to rest if needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Job assignments should be rotated so that workers with monotonous jobs can do more interesting work to balance out their work time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workers who do heavy lifting, use heavy machinery, or do any job which puts a lot of pressure on the body \u2013 should be given some assignments that are less strenuous<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers should understand the OSHA and industry safety standards and apply them to reduce the likelihood a tired worker will get into an accident.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/practice-areas\/workers-compensation\/\">workers\u2019 compensation<\/a> cases, an injured worker is not required to prove that the employer was at fault for the accident. There\u2019s no need to prove the employer made the employee work harder or longer than necessary. There\u2019s no need to show the employer failed to follow proper safety laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In North Carolina and in Virginia, if an employee suffers an accident in the course and scope of employment, regardless of fault, \u00a0the worker is entitled to state workers\u2019 compensation benefits. Standard work injury benefits include 2\/3rds of the worker\u2019s average weekly wages while he\/she is unable to work and payment of all reasonable medical bills. Attorney Joe Miller has helped thousands of injured workers in both North Carolina and Virginia get the pay and medical benefits they deserve. For help now, please call me at <\/span><b>1-(888) <a href=\"tel:\/\/888-694-1671\" title=\"888-694-1671\">888-694-1671<\/a> <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or complete my <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/contact-us\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contact form<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to schedule a free consultation.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to a report cited by the National Safety Council, 69% of employees say they suffer from fatigue at work. The report is titled \u201cFatigue in Safety-Critical Industries: Impact, Risks and Recommendations.\u201d The report is based on several studies \u2013 one of workers and another was of a more mathematical survey. The NSC studied the &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Many Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing Workers Compensation Claims are Due to Fatigue\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/many-construction-transportation-and-manufacturing-workers-compensation-claims-are-due-to-fatigue\/#more-4681\" aria-label=\"Read more about Many Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing Workers Compensation Claims are Due to Fatigue\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,31],"tags":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Joe Miller","author_link":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/author\/jmiller\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"According to a report cited by the National Safety Council, 69% of employees say they suffer from fatigue at work. The report is titled \u201cFatigue in Safety-Critical Industries: Impact, Risks and Recommendations.\u201d The report is based on several studies \u2013 one of workers and another was of a more mathematical survey. The NSC studied the&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4681"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4681\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joemillerinjurylaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}