NFSHW26 The Cost of Fatigue in Agriculture: Practical Solutions to Protect Workers and Increase Productivity

Fatigue among agricultural workers is a significant yet underrecognized occupational health and safety hazard, with important implications for injury risk, productivity, and long-term health outcomes. Agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable to fatigue due to a combination of factors, including long work hours, irregular schedules, inadequate sleep duration and quality, physically demanding tasks, exposure to environmental stressors such as extreme heat and cold, and ongoing mental stressors. This presentation will review the science of healthy (“good”) sleep and examine the relationships between fatigue and injury and fatality risks, as well as acute and chronic health effects. It will also explore the economic burden of fatigue in agricultural settings. Finally, practical mitigation and prevention strategies will be presented, with a focus on interventions that can be implemented at the individual, clinical, and industry levels to reduce fatigue and improve worker health, safety, and productivity.

Intended Audience: Agricultural producers, workers, managers, healthcare providers, and safety professionals.

Speaker: Ellen Duysen, MPH, COHC, Research Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health

Continuing Education: The University of Cincinnati, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, Education and Research Center offers 1.0 contact hours for this activity. Upon completing the evaluation, learners will receive a certificate of completion. This course can meet continuing education requirements for a variety of professionals including: BGC criteria for IH/CIH professionals, BCSP criteria for safety professionals, CPH criteria for public health professionals. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding questions about receiving credits for this activity.