Safety Matters

Don’t forget to set your clock ahead an hour this Sunday morning at 2 a.m.

Many of us don’t mind sacrificing an hour’s sleep to Daylight Savings Time, as long as the result is longer, brighter days and the promise of spring just around the corner. But did you know that sleeping just 60 minutes less than normal is linked to an increase of workplace injuries?

A 2009 study in the Journal of Psychology said “the springtime change is associated with an increase in the number and severity of workplace accidents, especially for those engaged in jobs requiring a high level of attention to detail.”

Losing one hour of sleep causes attention levels to drop, often with hazardous consequences.

The risk of injury during your Monday morning commute also increases as a result of the time change. According to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, the number of car accidents increase by 23 per cent on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time begins.

Spring forward, with caution this Sunday. Remember to take extra caution while your body adjusts to the time change. Work safe. For life!

Here are some tips from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety to ease the daylight savings time switch:

• Rest up: Go to bed earlier to get your usual amount of sleep so you can be well rested and alert.
• Defer the dangerous: Schedule particularly hazardous work later in the week (where possible) after employees have had more time to adjust their sleep schedules.
• Plan ahead: Give yourself extra time to drive to and from work, especially during the Monday commute, to avoid a potential accident.
• Step up the safety: Take extra safety precautions and assign extra safety monitors on days following the switch to help avoid potential workplace injuries before they occur.