Safety Awakening – “Beware Of Friday The 13th”
March 13, 2015 No Comments“Beware Of Friday The 13th”
I’m not superstitious, but I am aware that some of you are a bit wary of Friday the 13th.
One large study by a major insurance company found that 28% of their workers compensation claims occurred on Fridays. But why would more accidents happen on Fridays than any other day of the week? Here’s what I believe is behind this statistic:
- At most companies, Friday represents the end of the work week. These days, many workers work 10 hour or longer shifts. Also, many companies in this improving economy are asking their employees to work overtime. By the time Friday comes, workers are tired and fatigued. This fatigue is one of the causes of Friday accidents.
- Fridays, especially late in the shift, employees have their mind on their upcoming weekend plans. This acts as a distraction which takes the employees mind off of their job. I literally have investigated a number of work related accidents where the employee admitted that at the time of the accident he was distracted by thoughts of the impending weekend and did not pay proper attention to his job.
- Some employees know that if they turn in a workers compensation claim early on a Friday shift, they will likely be sent home to recover. This amounts to getting a one day head start to your weekend. That’s why many Friday accidents are hard to disprove “phantom” back injuries.
Recognize that a disproportionate amount of accidents occur on Fridays (including Friday the 13th). Share this fact with your supervisors, and work together to address the three above causes.
Awakenings