Sleepless Knights: Sleep loss and its contribution to occupational stress in the UK fire service

Fire Safety, Technology and Management, 2003 Vol 8(2): 7-10
27/10/2004

Sleepless Knights: Sleep loss and its contribution to occupational stress in the UK fire service

Many of the reasons why UK fire fighters encounter a relatively high incidence of occupational stress are well known. For example, it is generally accepted that rigid work practices, unpredictable work demands and exposure to traumatic situations all promote stress (Mitchell and Bray 1990, de Vries et al. 2003, Paton and Violanti 1996). Awareness of these issues has informed the introduction of a variety of countermeasures to stress, such as the provision of counselling services (for a review see Guidotti 1992). Despite this progress, possibly the most important cause of stress among fire fighters, sleep loss, goes largely unrecognised and unchecked.

This article, which first appeared in Fire Safety, Technology and Management, 2003 (Vol 8(2): 7-10), discusses the effects of sleep loss on health, wellbeing and safety. The article aims to increase awareness of the issue and provide unbiased information of the adverse consequences fatigue has for the well-being of UK fire fighters

For a full copy of this article, or for more information about the health effects of sleep loss, please contact Awake on +44 (0) 8450 77 00 38.