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Fatal Consequences: Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Train Engineer
Mary Pat McKay
Background This special report by the chief medical officer for the National Transportation Safety Board describes the findings of the investigation into the probable cause of the derailment of a Metro-North passenger train in the Bronx, New York, on December 1, 2013 that resulted in four deaths and injuries to 59 additional people.
What This Study Found A key finding of the medical investigation was the engineer?s post-accident diagnosis of severe, obstructive sleep apnea, which led investigators to determine the probable cause of the accident was the engineer having fallen asleep while operating the train. The accident highlights the importance of screening, evaluating and ensuring adequate treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, especially among patients working in positions where impairment of physical or cognitive function or sudden incapacitation may result in serious harm to the public.