Sleep deprivation: A hidden killer?

摘要

The Croydon tram disaster in which seven people were killed last year has highlighted an issue that has been bubbling under the surface for years in the transport industry. Sleep deprivation, caused by shift working, has long been accepted as a risk factor but there has been a reluctance within the industry to recognise both the long and short-term effects on staff. While the final report into the accident is not due until next month at the earliest, there have been unconfirmed reports that the derailment of the tram at speed on a bend may have been caused by driver fatigue.