Eat, Breathe, Sleep Safety: The Correlation Between Sleep and Injury Risk
When we say we eat, breathe and sleep safety, we mean it. It’s a round-the-clock commitment. It’s our responsibility as the Leaders in Concrete to ensure our team members are safe on and off the jobsite. If you’re not sleeping, you’re not set up to be safe at work.
“Workers with more insomnia symptoms on average reported engaging in fewer required and voluntary safety behaviors and were at a greater risk for workplace injuries,” according to The Effects of Sleep on Workplace Cognitive Failure and Safety study funded by the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center.
Simply put, if you’re tired, you’re more likely to miss or even skip fundamental procedures. If you’re missing the fundamentals, you’re not working safely.
We train and educate our team to be safe on the job, and we’ll give you the knowledge you need to rest and recover at home. Here are five ways to improve your sleep routine before a day on the job site:
- Consistency: Keep your sleep schedule regular, even on weekends and holidays. Sticking to a routine will help your body perform at its best.
- Environment: Your bedroom should be a cool, dark space to relax. Remove distractions at least 30 minutes before going to sleep.
- Exercise: The more active you are during the day, the easier it will be to fall asleep at night. When not at the job site, be sure you are getting exercise and stretching throughout the day.
- Food and drink: Avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks and heavy meals before bedtime – each can be major sleep disruptors. The evening is a great time to rehydrate as well.
- Quantity: The CDC recommends adults get more than seven hours of sleep per night. For those on the night shift, it is still important to get seven uninterrupted hours of sleep regardless of the time of day.
Practicing job site safety ensures the entire team is prepared to work safely and injury-free. More information can be found in the “Be Safe, Be Well Rested” toolbox talk from Construction Safety Week.
Our safety team serves as a resource and mentor to subcontractors nationwide. To learn more about our commitment to safety, visit www.kentcompanies.com/our-story/safety.
