Workers' Compensation: Clocks and Dangers: Daylight Savings and Workplace Injuries

Most people in the United States look forward to Daylight Savings Time every spring. We lose an hour of sleep but gain an extra hour of sunshine in the evening. While many people enjoy the extra sunshine, they may not know the dangers of this switch. Studies have shown that the Monday following the switch to Daylight Savings Time is more dangerous for workplace injuries.

The Study

A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology examined workplace injuries in miners, using data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The researchers compared the number of injuries in the workplace in the years 1983-2006 on the Monday following the switch to Daylight Savings Time with all other Mondays in those years. They found a significant increase in the number of injuries and the severity of those injuries on the Mondays following the switch to Daylight Savings Time. The researchers also examined the switch from Daylight Savings Time in the fall, but they did not find any increase in workplace injuries at that time.

Why Does This Happen?

The authors suggest that the increase in injuries in the spring is because people lose an hour of sleep when the clocks move forward, leading to injuries. They also examined this hypothesis in a study using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and they found that people reported sleeping an average of 40 minutes less on the Monday following the switch to Daylight Savings Time. This result further supports their hypothesis that sleep loss is the culprit.

What Can Be Done?

The authors suggest a couple of strategies employers can take to help reduce the number of injuries today. First, they suggest not scheduling any dangerous or risky work for that day. While they don't elaborate on what this might include, it likely provides work at heights, work with heavy machinery, and work with dangerous chemicals. Second, they suggest increasing the number of safety monitors on this day to help offset their employees' lack of alertness.

Another strategy not discussed by the authors is to allow employees to work a half day on this day to get some extra sleep. While this may not be feasible for all workplaces, it could be accomplished by some creative scheduling. For example, some employees could work a half day in the morning, while others could work half the afternoon. By taking this approach, employers could ensure that the workplace is never at full capacity but that all the necessary work still gets done.

These changes do not need to be implemented following the switch back to Standard Time in the fall, as this change does not increase workplace injuries.

Recommended Citation: Gelman, Jon., Clocks and Dangers: Daylight Savings and Workplace Injuries (03/09/2025) https://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/2025/03/clocks-and-dangers-daylight-savings-and.html

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*Jon L. Gelman of Wayne, NJ, is the author of NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thomson-Reuters) and co-author of the national treatise Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thomson-Reuters). For over five decades, the Law Offices of Jon Gelman 1.973.696.7900
jon@gelmans.com has represented injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational illnesses and diseases.