How do stress and fatigue affect your ability to work safely?
For many adults, a typical weekday includes commuting, 8 hours of work, cooking dinner, taking care of kids, paying bills, cleaning, and a few hours of sleep.
The daily grind has left many people stressed out and fatigued. This situation has created a growing safety risk for many workers.
When people think about being impaired on the job, drugs and alcohol usually spring to mind. But according to a new study by the National Safety Council (NSC), people showing up to work worn out or stressed are so disadvantaged they should be considered impaired and a potential safety hazard, right alongside those who show up to work drunk.
The NSC survey found that 90% of employers are worried about mental health and chronic stress negatively impacting an employee’s ability to perform work.
Meanwhile, another survey revealed that adults feel tired or fatigued between 3-7 days of the week.
When people work impaired, even by mental strain and/or fatigue, the chance for workplace accidents increases. Workplace accidents can include things like falls from heights, toxic exposure to chemicals, welder burns, crane accidents, tunnel worker silicosis, work-related car accidents, electrocution, asbestos exposure, and getting hit by falling objects.
If you were injured on the job while exhausted or struggling with your mental health, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. A lawyer with experience handling workers’ comp claims can help you successfully navigate the complicated process of applying for the program. If you’ve already applied for benefits and have been denied, an attorney can also help you file an appeal.
The Law Offices of Deborah G. Kohl represents hard-working, injured employees in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and fights for the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve.
Workplace impairment spikes during the pandemic
Impairment has been a workplace safety issue for decades, the NSC noted in its report. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the problem worse, with employers dealing with increased employee substance abuse, mental health distress, and fatigue.
More than half (52%) of employers surveyed said they know impairment is already decreasing the safety of their workforce. In a previous NSC study, the nonprofit safety advocacy group found that exhausted employees had negatively impacted 90% of employers.
Meanwhile, 47% of employers said they discuss fatigue, mental health, and stress as forms of impairment.
It’s not just employers who are noticing a drop in productivity – employees are feeling it, too.
In 2020, the National Sleep Foundation did a sleepiness survey. Of the respondents who said that a lack of sleep impacts their moods, 47% said sleepiness has negatively affected their productivity.
With more workplace accidents anticipated due to impairment, employees need to know what workers’ compensation benefits they may be entitled to receive if they get hurt at work. Asking for help, needing assistance, and being in pain are all things we sometimes don’t like to admit to ourselves or others. But passing up on the opportunity to get the benefits you and your family need – and have earned – to heal from a workplace injury will hurt you even more in the long run.
Our law firm offers hands-on representation for injured workers
If you’ve been injured at work, a workers’ compensation attorney who understands the state’s elaborate labor laws can help guide you through the entire process of pursuing benefits. The Law Offices of Deborah G. Kohl knows how to fight for the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve to help you recover from your work-related injury or illness. Contact us today for a free case evaluation. We have locations in Fall River and Foxborough, Massachusetts, as well as Providence, Rhode Island.