The Body's Circadian Cycle and Its Effects On System Safety

摘要

More employees are working the nightshift or increased overtime. Many employees are operating systems while fatigued. Fatigue is induced by a number of factors, but most often it is caused by lack of sleep. Individuals who work late at night, longer than normal shifts, or random shift times may be prone to errors in attention, decision-making, and response to pertinent information. These errors lead to accidents. There are several simple methods to dramatically reduce the effect abnormal working hours have on the body and mind. Fatigue is beginning to be recognized as a contributing factor in accidents, however more can be accomplished. Methods can be applied by both the employee and employer to prevent accidents from occurring as a result of fatigue. This paper will focus on methods of reducing the risk of human error in the workplace and address countermeasures that may be used to reduce fatigue thus promoting a safer working environment.