PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FATIGUE:
Fatigue increases the risk of injuries or other accidents. As an employer, ensure your workers are not
experiencing signs or effects of fatigue on the job. You can help make your workers and your business safer
by including information on fatigue and sleep in your safety guidelines and orientations. You can also
develop a fatigue management plan.
 Effects of fatigue
Studies indicate that the risk of making mistakes at work increases significantly if workers sleep for less than
the average (7.5–8.5 hours) or are awake for more than 17 consecutive hours.
The effects of fatigue can reduce a worker’s:
o Ability to make decisions
o Ability to do complex planning
o Communication skills
o Productivity and performance
o Attention
o Ability to handle stress
o Reaction time
o Ability to recall details
o Ability to respond to changes in surroundings or information provided
o Fatigue can also result in:
o Inability to stay awake
o Increased forgetfulness
o Increased errors in judgment
o Over the long term, fatigue can result in health effects, such as loss of appetite and digestive
problems, and other chronic health conditions, including depression. These effects can result in:
o Increased sick time, absenteeism, and rate of turnover
o Increased medical costs
o One study has shown that fatigue can have similar effects to drinking alcohol:
o 17 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05 (the legal limit in
o British Columbia)
o 21 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.08
o 24–25 hours awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.10
SIGNS OF FATIGUE:
Fatigue can cause a vast range of other physical, mental and emotional symptoms including:
SIGNS
OF
FATIGUE
chronic tiredness or sleepiness
headache
dizziness
sore or aching muscles
muscle weakness
slowed reflexes and responses
impaired decision-making and judgement
moodiness, such as irritability
impaired hand-to-eye coordination
appetite loss
reduced immune system function
blurry vision
short-term memory problems
poor concentration
hallucinations
reduced ability to pay attention to the situation at hand
low motivation
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FATIGUE AND PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING THE RISK OF
FATIGUE:
Measures to manage the risks associated with fatigue will vary from one workplace to the next, depending on
the nature of the work, environmental conditions and individual factors.
The risks associated with fatigue can be managed by following a systematic process which involves:
 identifying the factors which may cause fatigue in the workplace
 if necessary, assessing the risks of injury from fatigue
 controlling risks by implementing the most effective control measures reasonably practicable in the
Circumstances, and
 Reviewing control measures to ensure they are working as planned.
PROPOSED STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING FATIGUE AND RELATIONSHIP TO HIERARCHY
OF CONTROL:
Controlling fatigue in the workplace ideally involves a number of different approaches that provide several
protective” barriers”. This includes:
1.
Ensure adequate staffing levels
As a first step, it is important to ensure that adequate staffing levels have been set in order to enable control
over other factors such shift length, amount of overtime and the average time off duty. And adequate shift
levels also control hierarchy.
2.
Shift scheduling
In addition to mandatory limits that may exist for shift lengths and rest periods, optimal shift schedules
require consideration of issues such as shift structure (e.g. permanent or rotating shifts), shift patterns (e.g.
fast versus slow rotation of shifts) and rest breaks during and between shifts. Shift schedules should also
account for factors such as the employee’s commuting time to and from work, employees swapping shifts or
overtime assignments. This is best addressed by using fatigue risk models to assess actual (rather than
planned) work-rest patterns and to place limits on the number of consecutive working hours or the number of
days worked in a row.
3.
Employee fatigue training & sleep disorder management
It is also important to educate employees on the causes of fatigue and the ways that they can manage their
personal fatigue risk at every level of hierarchy, so top managers are able to cope with shift work lifestyle
issues and understanding health conditions that may affect the quality of sleep.
4.
Workplace environment design
Changes in the workplace can also assist in overcoming reduced alertness caused by out of synch circadian
rhythms or inadequate sleep. Changes in environmental factors such as the lighting intensity, sound levels,
temperature and humidity can be helpful in this regard.
5.
Alertness monitoring & fitness for duty
A final line of defence is to put measures in place that identify employees who are not suitable for
work. Technologies such as alertness monitors and fitness for duty tests are options that can be considered
for this purpose.
By taking a systematic approach to fatigue management, companies can minimise fatigue-related incidents
while improving employee wellbeing and ensuring compliance with OHS regulations and best practices.
Sources of information used for the report, as well as sources of expert advice that could be used if
further advice is needed in the area.
Online sources