Aim Physicians may face occupational accident risk due to sleep problems. The aim of study was the evaluation of association of sleepiness and sleep quality with occupational accidents.

Method In this descriptive study, data was collected among 312 (53.7%) residents in a medical faculty hospital through a questionnaire to investigate sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, sleepiness mode with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and sleep quality with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and having an occupational accident.

Results Average age was 27.95 (SD=2.86) and females constituted 52.6% of residents while 10.6% expressed their general health, 36.6% expressed their mental health as average and lower, 24.9% had diagnosed disease. Of them, 3/4 had night shift and 88.9% had no rest cycle after night shift. Some declared sleep related features were: sufficient sleep period (35.9%), snoring (16.5%), increased sleepiness (29.0%) and decreased sleep quality (60.8%). Of the residents, 26.9% had at least one occupational accident during last month and the most common accident was needlestick (52.5%). According to PSQI 36.5% of residents with low sleep quality, and according to ESS 38.0% of residents with high sleepiness perception had occupational accident during last month (p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively), and 48.3% declared that accident was their fault.

Conclusion Occupational accidents of residents could have serious consequences. Measures are needed to increase sleeping period and sleep quality of residents and decrease sharp object injuries.