제 목 : Fatigue to blame in many workplace motor vehicle fatalities
일 자 : 1995년 09월
제공처 : Todays
Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of fatal workplace
injuries. And 13% of these accidents are fatigue related. The National
Safety Council suggests the following tips for drivers to help them stay
awake behind the wheel :
o Recognize signs of fatigue (weaving, nodding off, missing a familiar
turn or no memory of the last stretch of road), and if they occur,
take a break.
o Drink a cup of coffee or take a brief, brisk walk
o Open the window for a change of airflow
o Listen to music
However, these short - term solutions won't cure fatigue. Supervisor,
particularly of nighttime drivers, can do a lot to promote safety :
o Give drivers tips on how to maintain a lifestyle that requires them
to be up and alert at odd hours. Useful information could include
how dark a room needs to be to promote sleep and how long naps should
be to be most useful (brief naps are better than long ones).
o If possible, give drivers a regular nighttime schedule so their
biological clocks can adjust more easily.
o Be aware that U.S. Federal Highway Administration regulations
limiting the number of hours a driver can work may actually promote
fatigue.
The regulations allow driving for a maximum of ten hours followed by
eight hours of rest before another ten - hour driving period. In
effect, this creates an 18-hour day which could result in drivers
being chronically jet-lagged. Under Canadian regulations, drivers can
drive for 13 hours and then must rest for 11, which allows for a 24 -
hour day.
o Keep up with new advances in cab technology. Some are built to
minimize fatigue - inducing vibrations. Others have eye - tracking
devices that set off alarms at any sign of fatigue.
Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Safety
Engineers.
|
이전글
다음글