WHAT IS FATIGUE MANAGEMENT
Fatigue in the workplace is a major safety issue.
Poor lifestyle habits and extreme workplace conditions can cause chronic fatigue, which can be a direct contributor towards injury and illness.
Our low GI nutritional supplements provide an in-your-pocket solution to fatigue management. They are based on 20 years of research in the mining industry. They combat fatigue and dehydration as well as having a proven taste acceptance across all cultures. Available as a Shake or Energy Drink format.
It’s side effects include decreased performance and productivity and increased potential for errors of judgement and injuries to occur.
It is for these reasons that fatigue management is a responsibility that must be shared between persons controlling work and workers, as it involves factors that occur both in and outside the workplace.
TEMPORARY FATIGUE
Acute exhaustion and tiredness from an identifiable cause (late night, disrupted night of sleep, lengthy journey etc.).
One recovers from this fairly quickly.
CHRONIC FATIGUE
Constant tiredness and exhaustion that develops over time causing one to feel completely run-down, constantly low in energy, demotivated and often depressed.
Fatigue at this level directly impacts emotional and psychological wellbeing, often also resulting in regular bouts of illness of one or another sort. Being chronically fatigued is often the symptom of an underlying medical issue which, once treated (with diet and lifestyle changes and, in some cases medical treatment), resolves this symptom.
CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME(CFS)
A complex medical condition, characterized by long-term fatigue and other symptoms such as inter-alia unrefreshing sleep, widespread muscle and joint pain, sore throat, severe headaches never experienced previously, and chronic and severe mental exhaustion. These symptoms are to such a degree that they limit a person’s ability to carry out ordinary daily activities.
The fatigue is not caused by ongoing exertion, is not relieved by rest and is not caused by any other medical condition. However, diet and lifestyle changes are fundamental treatments that improve this specific condition.
The Low GI Fatigue Pack
Sustainable Energy throughout the shift
STANDARD FATIGUE PACK
The standard Fatigue pack consists of 2 x SUPA SHAKE + 2 x SUPA ENERGY DRINKS
Designed to sustain energy for a full 8 – 10 hour shift.
PREMIUM FATIGUE PACK
The standard Fatigue pack consists of 1 x SUPA SHAKE + 4 x SUPA ENERGY DRINKS and 1 x PROTEIN BAR
Designed to sustain energy for a full 10 – 12 hour shift.
Fatigue can significantly affect an individual’s capacity to function.
- Chronic tiredness or sleepiness,
- headache, dizziness,
- sore aching muscles,
- muscle weakness,
- slowed reflexes and responses,
- impaired decision making and judgement,
- moodiness and irritability,
- impaired hand to eye coordination,
- blurry vision,
- poor concentration
- reduced immune system function and
- low motivation.
These need early identification and treatment, in terms of legislative, safety and the individual’s health factors.
Understanding the physiology of Fatigue
Managing Chronic fatigue
- Healthy, Balanced EatingTime or resources or strength may be an issue in obtaining the nutrition one needs. Our supplements taken with a healthy diet will assist in speeding up the process to recovery or defending against the symptoms of fatigue, by giving the body what it needs.
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Manage Stress
- Not Smoking
- Good Time Management
Lifestyle causes for fatigue include:
MEDICAL CAUSES
Obesity, diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure tuberculosis, cancer, Hiv/Aids, flu, hepatitis, anemia and sleep disorders. These are generally identified by Occupational Health operations within organizations. These cases are not treated internally but advised to seek medical attention where financially viable.
Lifestyle causes other than purely medical causes compound the situation and are more difficult to identify as they relate specifically to the individual.
SHIFT WORK
The human body is naturally inclined to sleep at night. This is set in the brain by the “circadian clock” Shift work confuses the individual’s clock by working when the body is programmed to be asleep.
WORK PRACTICES
Work practices can add to the individual’s level of fatigue. These may include long working hours coupled to the extra hours taken to get to work/home, resulting in a 8 hour shift becoming 11/12 hours or a 12 hour shift becoming 14/16 hours leaving reduced time for family, food preparation and sleep.
POOR DIET
Low kilojoule diets, high energy diets or high energy foods that are nutritionally poor don’t provide the body with enough fuel or nutrients to function properly. Quick fixes such as chocolate bars, or caffeinated drinks, only offer a short term energy boost that quickly wears off and worsens fatigue.
This coupled to legislative requirements, is why many major organisations are opting to supply, Low GI sustained release, balanced nutritional supplements in the workplace.
SLEEP DISTURBANCES
Sleep disturbances occur for a number of reasons, including noisy neighbours, young children who wake in the night, a snoring partner, or an uncomfortable environment. (in South Africa that would often be the difficulties of Shack living).
Typically adults need about eight hours of sleep each night or day. (Too much sleep can also result in excessive worktime sleepiness.)
ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows the nervous system and disturbs sleep patterns. Other drugs such as cigarettes and caffeine stimulate the nervous system and can cause insomnia.
HOME STRESS
Financial stress, marital stress, unsuitable accommodation, long travelling hours, lead to depression, anxiety and further stress resultant of the constant flooding of adrenaline which exhausts the body and compounds fatigue.
WORKPLACE STRESS
Including job dissatisfaction, heavy workload, conflicts with bosses or colleagues, bullying, constant change or threats to job security such as industrial action and strikes add to fatigue.
It begins with proper supplementary nutrition, because you are what you eat.
Taking a stand against Fatigue and having an action plan that assists your workers is viewed favorably by the individual employee and his/her family. The provision of occupational health support leads to knowledgeable and a motivated workforce