What are the dangers of sleep apnea in the workplace?
Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, depression, diabetes and other serious medical conditions. Workers that are employed in safety sensitive positions with sleep apnea that is not being treated are at increased risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents. It has been determined that fatigue is a major cost to companies due to lost productivity and injuries.
A study conducted at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver - the largest of its kind - used objective data to show that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea were almost 95% more likely to get hurt on the job than someone without obstructive sleep apnea.
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Written by Work Place
More Q&As from our experts
- What are the common risk factors associated with having sleep apnea?
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- Why should a company be concerned with sleep apnea?
Related Terms
- Fitness to Work
- Functional Capacity Evaluation
- Hazard
- Hazard Identification Study
- Health Professional
- Health Promotion
- Health Risk Assessment
- Health, Safety and Environment
- Medical Assessment
- Medical Surveillance
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