Fatigue Training Overview

Fatigue Training

• Sleep is crucial for safety.
• Fatigue is a serious concern.
• Fatigue can lead to dangerous situations.

What is Fatigue?

• Job demands
• Life demands outside of work
• Human biology
• Sleepiness
• "Don't care" attitude
• Irritability
• Forgetfulness
• Slow reactions
• Difficulty concentrating

Fatigue Facts

• 15 people die daily in truck crashes related to fatigue.
• Truck drivers have a higher fatality rate than other workers.
• A jet airliner crashes weekly due to the equivalent number of highway fatalities.
• 24 hours without sleep is equal to a 0.10 BAC
• Lack of sleep is the primary cause of driver fatigue.

Driving Without Awareness (DWA)

• DWA is viewed like drunk driving.
• Rising number of lawsuits involving fatigue.
• California and Arizona are leading the way in prosecuting DWA.
• It's likely other states will follow suit.

Consequences of DWA

• Impacts life and health
• Loss of freedom
• Hardship for family/loved ones
• Civil penalties
• Criminal penalties
• Attorney fees
• Lawsuits

What Happens When We Sleep?

• Non-REM sleep: Deep sleep, slow heart rate, slow breathing, disorientation if woken up

• REM sleep: Dream state, rapid brain activity, uneven heart rate, uneven breathing, twitching, paralysis

• Both types of sleep are necessary for rest and refreshment.

How Much Sleep Do We Get?

• 65% lose sleep due to stress.
• 32% lose sleep at least once a week.
• 16% experience stress-induced insomnia.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

• The average person needs 7-8 hours per night.
• Individual sleep requirements vary

What Keeps Us Awake?

• 2% blamed current events.
• 16% due to personal financial worries.
• 23% due to family issues.

How to Get a Good Night's Sleep

• Maintain a consistent bed and wake schedule
• Establish a bedtime routine
• Create a calming sleep environment
• Remove distractions like TVs/computers
• Eat and exercise several hours before bed
• Avoid stimulants before bed (like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine)

Lack of Sleep Leads To...

• Trouble paying attention
• Slower reaction times
• Slower thinking
• Declining driving ability
• Health problems

Sleep Loss and Driving

• Factors predicting fatigue-related accidents
• Duration of last sleep period
• Amount of sleep in the last 24 hours
• Sleep quality
• Split sleep

Fatigue and Driving (Day vs Night)

• Increased risks at night include greater sleepiness, slower speed/erratic driving, and erratic lane position
• Accident risks are 3 times higher between 3-5pm due to higher core temps, high sleepiness, and difficulty staying focused
• Not getting enough 8hrs off-duty will lead to inadequate rest
• Sleepiness results in overestimating alertness, poor judgment, and decreased motivation.

Ways to Improve Fatigue Management

• Naps: Short naps (less than 40 minutes) improve functioning but exceeding this can lead to sleep inertia, longer naps(2-3hrs) impact REM/Non-REM sleep and its restorative processes. Sleep is better than nothing.

• Good Sleep: Dark, quiet, cool room; comfortable surface; regular exercise; balanced diet; warm shower/bath before bed; avoid caffeine/alcohol before bed.

• Strike a Balance: Schedule time with loved ones; adjust activities around sleep schedules; sometimes important to miss functions.

Getting Enough Sleep

• Days Off: Maximize sleep
• While on Shift: Be mindful of caffeine intake
• Trust Your Body: Pay attention to sleepiness and follow your body’s cues. If you can’t return to sleep within 30mins, get up

Remember!

• Fatigue stems from biological causes
• Sleep loss debt accumulates over time
• Sleepiness cannot be ignored
• 2 full nights of good sleep are needed to recover
• Our internal clock dictates sleep patterns and doesn't adapt to night work
• Finding solutions to fatigue requires understanding its underlying causes without single-cause answers.
• Sleep improvement is possible.

Sleep Apnea and Driving

• Sleep apnea is a condition causing narrowing of the upper airway disrupting sleep.
• FMCSA and UPenn studies link severe sleep apnea to truck accidents.

What is Sleep Apnea?

• Upper airway closure during sleep that causes repeated breathing disturbances, complete awakenings
• Leading to poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness

What are the Facts?

• An estimated 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea.
• Risk factors include being male, older than 40, and overweight.
• Untreated sleep apnea can lead to; high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, headaches, lower job performance, car/truck accidents, and daytime tiredness.

Types of Sleep Apnea

• Obstructive: Soft tissue in the throat relaxes and blocks airway
• Central: Brain doesn't signal muscles to breathe
• Mixed: A combination of both

Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea

• Snoring
• Pauses in breathing or gasping for air during sleep
• Daytime sleepiness
• Inability to concentrate
• Morning headaches/sinus congestion
• Falling asleep at work
• Depression

What to Do

• If symptoms occur, talk to a doctor.
• Sleep apnea must be properly diagnosed before treatment begins.
• Consult a sleep specialist if indicated.
• Accredited sleep medicine labs can identify and treat diagnosed patients

Conclusion

• Personal responsibility lies in maintaining sleep discipline
• Engage in regular exercise
• Maintain healthy eating habits.
• Seek medical advice if sleep problems or suspect sleep apnea
• Getting adequate rest is crucial for safety.

This quiz covers the importance of sleep and the serious consequences of fatigue, especially in relation to driving safety. You'll learn about job demands, human biology, and how fatigue can affect concentration and reaction times. Understand the implications of driving without awareness and the legal consequences surrounding it.