Fatigue

Philadelphia – Chronic sleep deprivation may cause lasting damage in the brains of shift workers, suggests a new study from the University of Pennsylvania.

Washington – Following a Federal Aviation Administration announcement that obese pilots may have to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea, the House passed a bill Feb. 11 that would require such a policy to go through a formal rulemaking process.

Washington – Rest breaks used to “restart” truck drivers’ duty cycles are more effective at reducing fatigue when they include two periods of nighttime sleep, according to a study released Jan. 30 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently updated its requirements for commercial pilot qualification and training. But new scheduling requirements aimed at reducing fatigue have some pilot associations, safety advocates and lawmakers questioning why cargo pilots have been excluded.

Guildford, England – Shift work may throw off the daily rhythm of the body’s genes, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has released guidance on break requirements for short-haul commercial truck drivers who unintentionally exceed time or distance driving limits.

Arlington, VA – Two trucker associations have jointly proposed a pilot program to evaluate the fatigue and safety impacts of allowing truckers to split a single 10-hour off-duty sleep period into multiple segments.

Washington – Pilots with a body mass index of 40 or higher – an advanced level of obesity – will soon be required to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea during routine medical certification exams.

Bloomsburg, PA – Adding an obstructive sleep apnea screening to commercial driver medical examinations is effective at identifying OSA risk among truck and bus drivers, concludes a recent study from Bloomsburg University.

State College, PA – Workers whose alertness has been reduced through lack of sleep may not be able to fully recover merely by sleeping in on weekends, concludes a study from Penn State University.