6/21/2023 0 Comments Osha work hours![]() ![]() The justification for these rules is likely public safety, not protection per se of the drivers or pilots, but common sense (and our own experience) tells us that working too many hours and/or too many days in the row takes it toll on the body and mind. They’ve had regulations on the books for decades to limit work hours and mandate rest breaks. The link between work hours and safety is well recognized by other regulatory agencies, such as the FAA for airline pilots and DOT for commercial drivers. “The dangerously excessive number of hours resident physicians are currently allowed to work is a similarly toxic exposure that OSHA has the authority to regulate and reduce in order to protect these physicians from harm.” ![]() Īs Sid Wolfe, MD of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group notes: I doubt though that many employers (including the administrators of these hospitals) label them work-related. Were injuries sustained in these car accident work-related? I would say so. And many of them have been in car accidents.” “Almost every resident I know in that program has fallen asleep at the wheel driving home from work. The petitioners use anecdotes to illustrate how a working condition-in this case excessive hours on-the-job-has a latent effect on the worker once they’ve left the workplace. “Reaction times were 7% slower (p<.001), commission of errors was 40% higher (p< 0.001), speed variability was 71% greater (p<0.001) in heavy-call residents compared to light-call resident physicians."* ![]() Among the compelling evidence provided are studies demonstrating significantly diminished mental acuity for sleep-deprived medical residents at levels comparable to 0.05% blood alcohol levels. The petitioners argue that the excessive hours expected by the employers (hospitals) of these physicians-in-training cause chronic sleep deprivation and stress, which contributes to motor vehicle crashes, depression and mood disorders, needlestick injuries and other health problems. Public Citizen, the American Medical Student Association ( AMSA) and other worker advocates petitioned the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a regulation limiting the number of hours worked by medical residents. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |