Safety Tips for Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings kicked in for most Americans this weekend, requiring most to “Fall Back” and subtract and hour from their clocks.   Even though the time change in the Fall “adds” an hour of sleep the weekend of the change, the abrupt change in light exposure can negatively impact an individual’s circadian rhythm.  Upsets to the circadian rhythm can result in sleep difficulties including loss of sleep, fatigue and mood changes. 

Fatigue can affect people who work any shift; however, it tends to be worse for those working extended shifts and nonstandard shifts.  Fatigue can be exacerbated by stress, work tasks that are either mentally or physically demanding, and working in extreme temperatures.  Fatigue can cause the following effects among workers of all types:

Slowed or delayed reaction times

Reduced attention spans

Inability to concentrate

Disrupt short term memory

Impair judgment

In fact, Drowsy Driving is comparable to Drunk Driving.  The first week in November is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, corresponding to Daylight Savings.  According to the National Safety Council, driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is equivalent to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% (the B.A.C. legal limit in the U.S.)

What can we do to protect our workers?

Educate employees on the safety and health hazards associated with lack of sleep which can be exacerbated by Daylight Savings time change. 

Provide resources to employees to help them adjust to the change.  The CDC has several resources available to help employees working in different types of environments and shifts.

Recognize the symptoms of fatigue and encourage employees to watch out for each other and stop when they notice fatigue symptoms that could lead to an accident or errors in the workplace. 

Side Safety Benefit of Daylight Savings? 

Daylight Savings has been used for years as a trigger to remind people to check and/or change smoke detector batteries.  You should check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly, at least twice per year, to ensure that they work effectively when needed.  Don’t forget that some detectors have a “shelf life” and may need to be replaced.  This week, take a moment and check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors!