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US regulators seek sleep apnoea tests for truckers, train drivers
AMERICAN regulators are taking steps toward testing commercial drivers and railway workers for sleep apnoea, a disorder that causes fatal accidents, reports Bloomberg.
New regulations are being considered by two agencies under DOT, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Sleep apnoea has traditionally been a male disease, says San Diego's RedMed Science Centre, and what female victims there are, suffer less.
Thus, male sufferers would be a greater risk of disqualification operating trucks and trains.
The US Transportation Department is seeking public comment in the next 90 days about whether it should mandate sleep tests that had been recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The DOT press release said it would include drivers of trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles as well as train operators.
"It is imperative for everyone's safety that commercial motor vehicle drivers and train operators be fully focused and immediately responsive at all times," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
"DOT strongly encourages comment from the public on how to best respond to this national health and transportation safety issue," he said.
While government agencies have increasingly raised alarms about sleep apnoea, tests for it aren't mandated for highway drivers or rail workers.
The disorder is triggered by a halt in breathing during the night, which causes people to repeatedly wake up and disrupts normal sleep patterns, leading to difficulty staying awake during the day and other health hazards.
New regulations are being considered by two agencies under DOT, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Sleep apnoea has traditionally been a male disease, says San Diego's RedMed Science Centre, and what female victims there are, suffer less.
Thus, male sufferers would be a greater risk of disqualification operating trucks and trains.
The US Transportation Department is seeking public comment in the next 90 days about whether it should mandate sleep tests that had been recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The DOT press release said it would include drivers of trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles as well as train operators.
"It is imperative for everyone's safety that commercial motor vehicle drivers and train operators be fully focused and immediately responsive at all times," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
"DOT strongly encourages comment from the public on how to best respond to this national health and transportation safety issue," he said.
While government agencies have increasingly raised alarms about sleep apnoea, tests for it aren't mandated for highway drivers or rail workers.
The disorder is triggered by a halt in breathing during the night, which causes people to repeatedly wake up and disrupts normal sleep patterns, leading to difficulty staying awake during the day and other health hazards.
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