Employee Burnout: A Workplace Safety Hazard?

This article was published in the August edition of On the Front Lines, By Chantell C. Foley and Todd B. Logsdon (Louisville).

It looks at employee burnout, which is now an officially diagnosable condition. While there are no OSHA standards to govern burnout, some studies indicate that burned-out employees have less awareness of their surroundings and struggle to maintain workplace safety practice. To quote from this article’s conclusion: “Creating awareness campaigns and training initiatives to recognize symptoms of employee burnout and the safety hazards caused by fatigue or lack of concentration may save your workplace from injuries and illnesses down the road.”