My name is Lisa, and I work in a recycling plant as an assembly line worker.

The hours that I work are slightly irregular. Starting at 5am, I wake at 4, and do a minimum of 2 hours overtime. It could be as much as 4 or 5 hours without any notice. I do not have the choice not to work overtime. The work itself is boring, highly repetitious and involves no real job rotation. The work environment is not supportive, communicative or open to real suggestions for improvement.

My coworkers and I struggle within this environment on a number of levels. Sleep deprivation is a norm, and levels of stress, reduced productivity and general happiness, as well as absenteeism is a problem that is seemingly disproportionate to the nature of the work. Boredom compounds the problems in real and measureable ways.

I am looking for information that would support the workers at the plant in an effort to obtain proper measures of safety with regards to fatigue in the workplace: and in so doing reduce stress, open dialogue regarding the compulsary nature of extended hours, and prevent increased illness and injury that creates a cycle of preasure at work.

Are there any resources you could suggest? They would be greatly appreciated!

Kind Regards,

Lisa