As someone who has worked in all forms of public assembly facilities for 36 years, I am now firmly in the “in my day” generation. I will admit that as I get older, I am more inclined to remember things the way I want to remember them. However, one thing that I do remember with great accuracy is just how tired and worn down you can get in this business.
We all wear it like a badge of courage and are quick to share stories of what it was like for us. I am sure that everyone reading this can recall quickly their personal records of consecutive days worked, hours awake, etc.
I am currently working on the new LA NFL Football Stadium and the new Los Angeles Football Club, Banc of California MLS stadium and, as a part of that work, I am at the Los Angeles Coliseum quite a bit. I worked at the 1984 Olympics for FMI and, while my primary site was the Forum, I worked the opening and closing ceremonies, men’s basketball, men’s team handball, and for some reason I found myself at weight lifting. All of that to say that it was an intense experience and during the opening ceremonies and the start of men’s basketball, I was awake for a personal record of 52 hours. I do not really remember much about it other than to know that without a doubt, I never wanted to do anything like that again.
At the beginning of my career, I was fortunate enough to work at The Summit in Houston, Texas. In 1984, I worked 35 events in 28 days. Saying that I worked those events is a bit of a misnomer; survived those events is a much more accurate description.
When you are in the middle of situations like those described above, a great many things keep you going. The awareness that everyone around you is going through the same thing was, for me, the strongest motivation to carry on. There is incredible camaraderie in those situations. That is where you truly find out if you have chosen the right career.
However, the science and study of fatigue tells us a different story about the risks and consequences of these actions.
According to a new National Safety Council survey-based report, 43 percent of Americans say they do not get enough sleep to mitigate critical risks that can jeopardize safety at work and on the road, including the ability to think clearly, make informed decisions and be productive.
A full 81 percent of the probability-based survey respondents have jobs that are at high risk for fatigue. These are positions that require sustained attention or are physically or cognitively demanding, such as driving a vehicle or working at a construction site, according to the report.
The survey, “Fatigue in the Workplace: Causes and Consequences of Employee Fatigue,” found that 97 percent of Americans say they have at least one of the leading nine risk factors for fatigue, which include working at night or in the early morning, working long shifts without regular breaks, working more than 50 hours each week, and enduring long commutes. Fully 76 percent of Americans say they feel tired at work, 53 percent feel less productive, and 44 percent have trouble focusing. Fatigued employees are more likely to make safety-critical errors that could lead to injury, such as crashing their vehicle, points out NSC.
Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, stated: “These findings are a literal wake-up call. When we’re tired, we can put ourselves and others at risk. We hope Americans recognize that impairment stems not just from alcohol and drugs, but lack of restorative rest. Fitness for duty starts with getting a good night’s sleep.”
Fatigue impacts most Americans and, in turn, every workforce, often resulting in disaster. According to studies cited by NSC, a person who loses two hours of sleep from a normal eight-hour sleep schedule may be as impaired as someone who has consumed up to three beers; an estimated 13 percent of workplace injuries could be attributed to fatigue; and 21 percent of all fatal car crashes — 6,400 deaths each year — are attributed to a drowsy driver.
The survey — the entirety of which will be released in three separate reports — also found:
• 41 percent work high-risk hours, at least
occasionally.
• 39 percent have trouble remembering
things at work because of fatigue.
• 31 percent commute 30 minutes or more,
which exacerbates the chances of falling
asleep behind the wheel.
• 27 percent have trouble making decisions
because of fatigue.
• 10 percent do not get regular rest breaks.
Inadequate staffing and the resultant crewmember fatigue caused the March 12, 2016 sinking of the tugboat Specialist in the Hudson River, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Three crewmembers died when the Specialist sank following a collision with the Tappan Zee Bridge construction site in New York.
According to NTSB investigators, crewmembers aboard the Specialist and its sister ship, Realist, had likely not received more than four to five hours of uninterrupted sleep in at least three days prior to the accident.
How many of us have functioned on that amount of sleep? Worse yet, how many of us as leaders have knowingly put our staff through similar situations.
On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, about 4:55 a.m.,
a 2000 Setra motor coach, operated by Sky Express Incorporated, was traveling northbound on Interstate 95 on route from Greensboro, N.C. to New York when it crossed the rumble strips and traveled onto the right shoulder, striking a cable barrier and overturning onto its roof. Four of the 58 passengers were killed and 49 others were injured.
An examination of the driver's work schedule, sleep times and cell phone use revealed that his opportunity for sleep in the 72 hours prior to the crash was limited, resulting in what the NTSB described as "acute sleep loss, poor sleep quality and circadian disruption.”
Fatigue causes Increased Safety Risks, FACT!
Eleven percent of drivers admit to having a crash or a near miss while tired or sleepy. ‘Admit’ being the key word; I believe all of us at one time or another have experienced this.
Three percent of those surveyed have experienced a workplace safety incident due to their own fatigue. This does not include near misses.
Seven percent of those surveyed have experienced a workplace safety incident due to a coworker’s fatigue. Again, we must also consider the near misses.
The Bottom Line
Despite our industry culture and the shared camaraderie, when we allow our staff and ourselves to become fatigued we put everyone at risk. Understanding a problem is the first step to solving it.
Russ Simons is... managing partner, Venue Solutions Group, and has been in this industry for more than three decades, working in arenas, stadiums, design, construction, safety and security. Send questions about any aspect of venue operation to askruss@venuestoday.com or mail questions to Venues Today, P.O. Box 2540, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.