Sleep and Accident Mitigation

02/10/2022

Sleep is not just a luxury. Getting plenty of sleep is critical to your personal safety and the safety of your co-workers. Most people need 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep each day. Sleep loss built up slowly over several nights can be just as harmful as sleep loss in one night.

Remind workers of the importance of sleep
While no employer wants to dictate to their employees what they should or shouldn’t be doing while off duty, you can always remind them at safety meetings and toolbox talks about the need to get proper rest so they can come back to work refreshed each day.

Your team should know that sleep deprivation not only affects their safety, it also affects the entire team. Lack of sleep negatively affects performance resulting in slower reaction times, failure to respond to changes and the inability to concentrate and make reasonable judgments.

Training employees to recognize the signs of co-worker fatigue can be the difference between life and death.

For more information, contact ROII Safety Services Director Bob White at (360) 352-7800 ext. 109 or bobw@biaw.com.

How to Use an Extension Ladder Properly

03/09/2026

Falls from ladders remain one of the leading causes of injury in construction. The good news: most ladder incidents are preventable with proper setup and use. If you’re using an extension ladder on the jobsite, following the correct angle and setup procedures is critical.

Adding Stability Where Ladder Injuries Often Begin

01/30/2026

Ladders remain one of the most common sources of injuries on construction jobsites. Slips, shifts, and unstable ladder placement can quickly lead to falls—often resulting in lost work time, medical costs, and long recovery periods.

One simple way contractors can reduce this risk is by improving ladder stability at the top contact point.

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