And even without the lawsuits, problems caused by fatigue cause 24-hour companies to lose money due to increased absenteeism, high turnover and poor performance. These costs comprise everything from increased rates of ulcers and chronic heartburn to increased manufacturing scrap and industrial disasters like Three Mile Island and the Exxon Valdez.
Litigation can arise from fatigue-related accidents that occur on the job or during the drive home.
Other companies have been sued on similar grounds. Win, lose, or settle these cases cost time and money and can harm employee and community relations. In the workplace it's still a vastly underidentified problem. There's an extremely large liability potential looming on the horizon. Any company that asks people to work hours beyond their normal shift should be concerned about the issue.