WorkAlert® was developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC), in partnership with the Sleep Health Foundation.
Sleep loss and sleep disruption is a common problem in the modern 24-hour society. Whether it be from inadequate sleep or untreated sleep disorders (or a combination of both), poor alertness has widespread effects on core brain functions: reaction time, decision-making, information processing and the ability to maintain attention.
In 2016-17, there were estimated to be 7.4 million Australian adults in total who did not regularly get the sleep they need. This lack of sleep, and therefore alertness, was estimated to result in 3,017 deaths in 2016-17. It is expected that more than one Australian will die every day (394 over the year) from falling asleep at the wheel of a vehicle or from industrial accidents due to lack of sleep. The remaining mortality is due to sequelae such as heart diseases and diabetes.1
The total cost of inadequate sleep in Australia was estimated to be $66.3 billion in 2016-17, comprising $26.2 billion in financial costs and $40.1 billion in the loss of wellbeing. This equates to approximately $8,968 per person affected in both financial and wellbeing costs.2
The reduced performance, accidents and injuries caused by impaired alertness is, to a large extent, preventable. The Alertness CRC and Sleep Health Foundation have worked with a broad range of industry partners across a range of sectors to develop the latest technologies, systems and tools to improve sleep health and manage alertness in individuals and across organisations.
The WorkAlert® initiative is designed to engage organisations in the opportunities to implement changes and measure improvements in safety and productivity. It provides information of a range of relatively simple, science-driven approaches that can dramatically improve employee experience and the company’s bottom line.
The site is tailored towards industries that tend to employ workers on shifts, like health, hospitals, mining, transport including road and aviation, factories and hospitality, but is relevant to all employers and employees who want to maximise their sleep related health and will continue to provide the latest organisational and individualised solutions.
1,2 SHF Asleep on the Job: Costs of Inadequate Sleep in Australia report (https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/files/Asleep_on_the_job/Asleep_on_the_Job_SHF_report-WEB_small.pdf)
About the CRC for Alertness, Safety and Productivity
The CRC for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC) was part of the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program, which seeks to improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industry.
Through its three interconnected research programs – Measuring Alertness, Safety & Productivity, and Personalised Sleep Health – the CRC was established to improve alertness, safety and productivity in individuals, across organisations, and within the community.
About the Sleep Health Foundation
The Sleep Health Foundation is Australia’s leading advocate for sleep health. The Foundation aims to improve people’s sleep and their lives by promoting healthy sleep, raising awareness of sleep disorders and building partnerships with organisations. Free, independent, expert-reviewed fact sheets on every aspect of sleep are available on the SHF website.
The Australian Sleep and Alertness Consortium (ASAC) is a newly developed research and development consortium established within the Sleep Health Foundation, and built upon the outputs, expertise and legacy of the Alertness CRC. This consortium presents further research opportunity in the areas of occupational safety and healthcare, as well as road safety.