Sleep Deprivation vs. BAC
39 participants were chosen to undergo the study Of comparing sleep deprivation to alcohol consumption. Participants were kept awake for 28 hours then given various tests to measure response speed and accuracy.
After just 17-19 hours without sleep reaction speeds began to get worse than having a BAC of 0.05%. After the full 28 hours, these individual test results became equivalent to 0.1% BAC.
I pose a simple discussion question:
If it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08%, how can it be not only legal, but our job, to drive AND perform other work related duties after potentially being awake for 48hrs.
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Williamson AM, Feyer AM. Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. Occup Environ Med. 2000 Oct;57(10):649-55. doi: 10.1136/oem.57.10.649. PMID: 10984335; PMCID: PMC1739867.
Well, our schedule was not always 48 hours on, but spread over 3 days. Back in the day firefighters figured out a way to trade to make their work schedule a 48 hour schedule, with 4 days off. It happened so often that the union pushed to have the schedule changed to 48 on 4 days off. I’m sure the awareness of effects of sleep deprivation were not considered in this decision, just the amount of time off. Now we are limited to working no more than 3 nights in a row or 82 hours, and even that had to be put into place for safety concerns.