Susan L. Murray

Fatigue and accidents

This chapter provides examples of the danger of sleep deprived/fatigued workers in the industrial workplace. Examples of horrific accidents including the Bhopal Chemical Explosion, American Airlines 1420 crash, NASA’s Challenger Explosion, Exxon Valdez oil tanker grounding, and Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident. This chapter demonstrates the need for fatigue risk management systems (FRMS) using various fatal accidents.

Fatigue-related regulations and guidelines

This chapter is an overview of regulations and guidelines related to human fatigue risk management. The agencies discussed include both internal and external to the chemical processing industry. Government agencies outside the United States are also discussed. The chapter provides a discussion of regulations that must be followed for the chemical industry and guidelines that should be followed in the industry. Regulations from other industries are also discussed to provide background and comparison.

Basics of sleep biology

This chapter is an educational chapter on the basics of sleep science. There are numerous recommendations and requirements that come with an FRMS, and this chapter provides information on the biology and the science that underlies these recommendations. Although the FRMS can address many of the common problems of sleep, it cannot be expected to address every unique situation and possibility. Therefore, an FRMS educational program should communicate our best understanding of the biological principles of sleep, circadian, and work performance. This way, both management and employees can integrate these principles in their everyday lives and practices to improve outcomes, and the consequences of sleep deprivation. An understanding of these principles will help an employee plan their day and incorporate adequate sleep time in their schedule. This chapter will also present why sleep is important and understand the consequences of sleep deprivation. Benefits of adhering to the principles of this chapter include better performance on the job and potentially lower health-care costs as workers will be healthier and there will be potentially fewer workers’ compensation claims.

Chapter 17 – Accident investigation

This chapter is a guide to including fatigue as a potential cause or contributing factor in an industrial accident investigation. Considering human fatigue and/or a lack of sleep is appropriate for organizations with a fatigue risk management systems and organizations with shift workers or extended work shifts. The chapter outlines what should be included in a company policy related to accident/incident investigation and an example investigation with driver fatigue as the key finding. A summary of the chemical safety board’s BP Texas City accident investigation is also included.

Chapter 13 – Employee training

This chapter is a guide to creating employee and supervisor training as a part of a fatigue risk management systems (FRMS). It is helpful for those in the chemical processing industry wishing to comply with ANSI/API RP 755’s (fatigue risk management systems for personnel in the refining and petrochemical industries) recommendations related to sleep and work schedules. The chapter outlines what should be included in training for both employees and supervisors.

Creating a fatigue risk management system (FRMS)

This chapter is a guide to creating a fatigue risk management systems. It is helpful for those wishing to comply with ANSI/API RP 755’s (Fatigue Risk Management Systems for Personnel in the Refining and Petrochemical Industries) recommendations related to sleep, work schedules, and safety in the chemical processing industry. The chapter outlines what should be included in a company policy and the related training that should be conducted.

The consequences of fatigue in the process industries

This chapter introduces the danger of sleep-deprived and fatigued workers in the industrial workplace. An example of horrific accidents including the Bhopal tragedy and the BP Texas City explosion is included. This chapter explores the motivation behind fatigue risk management systems, which are a data-driven approach to minimize the hazard of errors and poor decisions made by tired workers.

Chapter 10 – Work shifts

This chapter introduces the concepts and terminology associated with work shifts. The advantages and disadvantages of different work schedules are discussed with an emphasis on health, safety, and worker satisfaction.

Chapter 11 – Work environment

This chapter discusses the impact of work environments on human performance. Particular attention is paid to the work environment’s influence on fatigue risk management. Lighting, temperature, and noise levels are some of the factors discussed, including how different levels can influence sleepiness or alertness. Sources for additional information are also provided.

Chapter 14 – Naps

This chapter describes the history, perception, and strategy for integrating naps into an FRMS system. Recent evidence has shown that increased workload disrupts sleep and that disrupted sleep reduces the productivity of employees. The negative effects of sleepiness can manifest through worker interactions, missed days at work, presenteeism, and a lack of creativity and organized thoughts. The best way to deal with sleepiness is to sleep, even in short stints such as a nap. Napping has already been shown to have cognitive and emotional benefits and can benefit productivity. In fact, increasing numbers of companies are welcoming the idea of napping and providing spaces in which employees can nap. Moreover, napping can help an employee prepare for a difficult overnight or rotating shift. Managing napping can lead to an increase in the well-being, productivity, and attitude of people. Drawbacks of napping can lead to a difficult falling asleep and sleep inertia, which can reduce the effectiveness of the napping. Therefore, an understanding of the constraints of napping will help the person devise a napping strategy that can refresh without disrupting the normal schedule of the person.