The following appeared in a memo from a vice president of Quiot Manufacturing."During the past year, Quiot Manufacturing had 30 percent more on-the-job accidents than at the nearby Panoply Industries plant, where the work shifts are one hour shorter than

The vice president of Quiot Manufacturing comes to the conclusion that to reduce on-the-job accidents, Quiot Manufacturing should reduce its shift timing by one hour which will give its employees enough time to have adequate sleep.

First, the author is comparing previous year records of Quiot Manufacturing with nearby Panoply Industries.He claims that on-the-job accidents are 30 percent more at Quiot than at Panoply. His measuring parameter for this comparision is length of shift.However, the author assumes that the safety majors taken at both industries are of similar quality. If safety majors at Quiot are not upto the standards and at Panoply they are strictly adhering to safety standards then it weakens the author's statement. Another assumpation is that shift is shorter at Panoply hence on the job accidents are less. But, information regarding what products these two companies manufature should be provided. If Quoit is in manufacturing business of heavy industrial boilers or transformers, it is plausible that accidents may occur even though safety majors are in place. On the other hand if Panoply is in the business of manufacturing of clothes, it is considerable that accidents will be less.

Second, the author claims that experts say that significant factors in many on the job accidents are fatigue and sleep. But, the author fails to state that whether fatigue and sleep are the reasons behind Quoit Manufactring's 30 percent increase in on the job accidents. The accidents could be because of mechanical /technical failures or human errors.

Finally, reducing the work shift by one hour so that the employees will get adequate amount of sleep is great for the employees. But, we do not know whether all employees will use that extra hour they are getting for the purpose of sleep. They may use that extra hour for things that they like to do such as spend time with freinds and family, go out somewhere. And in the end employees may sleep the same amount of time they were sleeping before the reduced work time.

So, reducing shift time by one hour does not garuntee that the employees will sleep adeqaute amount of time and does not vouch for reduction in on the job accidents. Hence, the author should consider above points to make his claim more reasonable.