Sleep Health is Essential to Worker Safety & Productivity
Updated: 2 days ago
Successful Therapy Outcome Is Essential to Safety for Drivers
Untreated sleep apnea raises the risk of crashes for commercial drivers, and treatment that is actually used brings the risk back down. Sleep apnea fragments sleep and causes daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, and slower reactions, which are exactly what a driver cannot afford.
The same applies to other safety-sensitive work with heavy equipment or machinery. The strongest evidence, though, comes from commercial driving, so this post focuses there.
What the research shows
Two sources are worth knowing, and both are narrower than they are often described.
Japanese truck-driver survey. A 2019 review in Industrial Health summarizes a survey of 1,313 truck drivers. About one in four (25.7%) showed signs of sleep-disordered breathing at a mild threshold, and about 7% at a more significant one. The same review notes that US commercial drivers with obstructive sleep apnea had a two- to five-fold higher risk of crashes in the studies it cites. (review)
2016 study in SLEEP. Researchers followed drivers at one large US trucking company that screened for sleep apnea and monitored treatment use with device data. Drivers with sleep apnea who did not use their treatment had a fivefold greater risk of serious preventable crashes. (abstract)
These studies show an association, and the second covers one employer's program.
Excessive fatigue. Sleep apnea fragments sleep, and the resulting excessive fatigue is what turns it into a safety risk on the road and at work.
Practical benefits of successful therapy. When therapy is used consistently, drivers and workers can expect two things:
Better decisions. Clearer thinking and attention when it matters.
Better fine motor skills. Steadier control when operating vehicles and equipment.
Treatment only works when it is used
The 2016 study's most useful finding is about adherence. Drivers with sleep apnea who used their treatment fully had a crash rate no different from drivers without sleep apnea, according to the study's authors. (summary)
The researchers summarized the gap as about 70 preventable serious crashes per 1,000 drivers a year for those who refused treatment, against 14 for the comparison group and for adherent drivers. (report)
The lesson is simple. A prescription is not enough; the device has to be worn, and someone has to check that it is.
How Nevada Sleep Diagnostics helps
We test at home, start treatment, and check that it works, so a diagnosis becomes a result.
Home sleep test. A physician-ordered home test using devices with direct signals shows whether sleep apnea is present, without a night away from work.
7-night Auto CPAP trial. An auto-adjusting device is set up and explained by our team, and we review the usage data during the week.
2-night home test on CPAP. A second test confirms that the therapy is successful.
After nearly three decades in Nevada, with Joint Commission accreditation since 2001, we hold every study to the same standard of accuracy.
For employers
Employers can improve both safety and retention by supporting drivers through diagnosis and treatment. The 2019 review lists five practices that help drivers keep using their therapy:
Involve the driver's family.
Reimburse the cost of treatment.
Show the company's willingness to invest in its drivers.
Form an "ambassador" team of drivers already on CPAP.
Keep in close contact between the company and its drivers.
Health information is private, so what an employer sees depends on the patient's consent and the rules that apply.
Next steps
Drivers and workers: start with the Home Sleep Test Application.
Employers: call (702) 990-7660 to talk about testing and treatment support for your team.
Frequently asked questions
What are the warning signs of sleep apnea in drivers? Common signs include loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, witnessed pauses in breathing, high blood pressure, and a high body mass index. (review)
Does CPAP really make a difference? In the 2016 trucking study, drivers who used their treatment fully had crash rates matching drivers without sleep apnea. It was one employer's program, so it shows an association and not proof.
Can my employer see my test results? Health information is protected, and what an employer can see depends on your consent and the rules that apply.
How do I get tested? Home sleep tests are ordered by a physician. If your insurance permits, you can also start with our Home Sleep Test Application.
-Reviewed by Robert H. Labanowski, RPSGT, CEO
