Biannual clock changes named health and safety risk

Every six months, the clocks in Britain go forward or back by one hour and health and safety experts in the United States of America have warned that changing the clocks twice a year is a health risk.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says that losing an hour's sleep when the clocks are moved forward increases car crashes, creates a higher stroke risk and affects people's mood. It wants the time changes abolished. Sleep researcher Erin Flynn-Evans told UPI that.

"Physicians, legislators and the general public have been talking about the health and safety benefits of eliminating seasonal time changes for years."

In Uk, a YouGov poll found that less than half (44%) of respondents supported the continuation of the current clock change arrangements. Many representatives of British industry also want to abolish the difference between British time and European time to make it easier to do business in Europe. 

The US House of Representatives has taken the clock changes seriously and held a hearing in which it heard health experts discuss the significant health issues caused by the seasonal clock changes.

Changing the clocks could affect British workers' sleep patterns. It is estimated that between 10% and 20% of all road crashes are caused by driver fatigue. Fatigue increases the risk of an accident occurring when operating machinery.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says that fatigue needs to be managed like any other workplace hazard. Tiredness detectors are a form of PPE (personal protective equipment) that can reduce accidents by warning drivers when they are overtired.