Welcome to the November 2026 edition of CORESafety TV — the online video program from the National Mining Association.

Rotating shift fatigue is something that virtually every miner experiences at one time or another while on the job.

It’s often hard to keep your eyes open when you’re working different hours, different days and on different tasks. After awhile, your body starts to adapt a little to the inconsistency, but it never really accepts what you’re putting it through.

The results can be significant and can certainly put your health at risk.

To learn more, watch our “Think About This” video on how to deal with shift fatigue —

To watch this video in Spanish, click here.

DID YOU KNOW?

• A “microsleep” is a lapse of just a few seconds where your brain checks out – sometimes even when your eyes are open.
• Studies show that highly fatigued operators are 12x more likely to have a microsleep than well-rested operators.
• Fatigued crews often run measurably slower on the job.
• When real fatigue programs are put in place, however, fatigue-related accidents start to drop significantly in numbers. 

How Some Mine Sites Are Fighting Fatigue

• Using in-cab systems that catch a microsleep before it becomes an incident.
• Implementing fatigue planning that flags a high-risk shift before it starts.
• Doing smarter scheduling — capped hours, real breaks and protected time off.
• Installing lighting that’s tuned to help your body clock, not fight it.

What You Can Do As A Miner

• Be aware – all the time.
• If you’re too tired, report your fatigue — just like you would any other hazard.
• If your equipment has alertness technology in the cab, use it. It’s there to help.
• Respect the clock. Protect your life and the lives of your co-workers.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
To learn more about staying CORESafety-SAFE, click here to visit our website.