FATIGUE
in the Workforce
IP Signalling Step up for Safety week 20-24th
Oct 2014 delivered by
Acknowledgement
This presentation is based upon information
produced by the RIAG, the Rail Infrastructure
Assurance Group, comprising contractors,
Network Rail and the RSSB, working together
for a safe rail industry.
For more details please visit
http://safety.networkrail.co.uk/Safety-Groups/RIAG
Introduction
Employers have a legal obligation as well as safety and
business reasons to deal with fatigue as part of an overall
health and safety program.
This presentation aims to give you
information about the risks
associated with being tired at
work and guidance on how you can
avoid or manage fatigue so that
you are less likely
to be harmed by the effects.
Fatigue
• Is a contributory factor in many railway industry
accidents.
• Is a common subject for companies examining the health
and safety hazards facing their operations and the
workforce
• Can extend to home as well as the workplace.
• Has an impact similar to alcohol impairment
Why Manage?
There is a legal and moral obligation on us ALL to manage
workplace fatigue.
The benefits can be substantial including:
• Avoiding the costs of incidents and
accidents
• Reducing absence
• Better health & morale
• Increased productivity
Major Cause
The major cause of fatigue
is a lack of sleep – just once
or over time.
It may be:– due to a late night and feeling tired the next day
– having too little sleep and developing a sleep debt.
Physical and mental activities tax the body. It’s no surprise
that you get tired from work; no matter what your task might
be.
What is Sleep Debt
Most people need 8 hours of sleep
a day – some more, some less.
Having less than you need creates
a sleep debt.
Cancelling that debt often can’t be done in one night. For
example, sleeping 6 hours instead of your usual 8 cannot
usually be recovered by sleeping an extra 2 hours the
following night.
The more sleep debt you have, the more good sleep it may
take to pay it back.
How can it affect your Health & Safety?
• Slower reaction time
• Poor decision making
• Increased likelihood of mistakes
• Decreased performance
• Dangerous lapses from micro sleeps
and automatic behaviour.
The Warning Signs
Physical Symptoms – Do YOU recognise any of these in
yourself or any of your work mates ??
• Drowsiness
• Yawning
• Eyes closing or getting sore
• Vision going out of focus or blurring
• Slower physical reaction time
• Cat Napping
• Automatic behavior
• Short Temper / Irritability
• Effects from Over the Counter or
Prescribed Medication
The Warning Signs
Mental Symptoms:• Poor concentration, including wandering thoughts
• Inability to remember things you’ve just done, seen, or
heard
• Failure to respond to changes in your surroundings or
situation
• Less alertness and watchfulness
• Poor logic and judgment,
including taking risks you
usually wouldn’t
The Warning Signs
Emotional Symptoms
• Bored
• Restless
• Depressed
• Giddy
• Grouchy
• Impatient
Planning
When setting up work rosters we need to make allowances
for these situations:• Long hours of physical or mental activity
• Inadequate breaks
• Not enough rest between work days
• Shift work (permanent or rotating)
• Extended or compressed work weeks
and day-off patterns
• Being on call
• Traveling time – Hours worked [14 hours Door to Door
12 hours Maximum on Site]
Mitigation Measures – What can YOU do ??
• Get the required amount of sleep
• Take planned meal and rest breaks in your shift
• Tell your Manager if you have a sleep related condition such
as SLEEP APNOEA
• Take into account future shifts when planning Off-Duty
activities
• Declare if you have a second job
• Participate in any Fatigue related education or training events
• Avoid excessive use of stimulants and sedatives
• Declare all medication – Over the Counter or those
Prescribed
• If you are concerned or require advice, your organisation’s
Occupational Health team can provide confidential support
Mitigation Measures – What can we do ??
Your company can help with some things, including:• Provision of lodging
• Provision of additional rest breaks in-shift
• Rescheduling of scope/scale of work
• Alteration to scheduled shift length
• Utilisation of local gangs where possible
Limits, Policies and Guidance
Currently there are absolute maximum limits for working in the
UK Rail Industry, which our policy is aligned towards, these
are:
• Maximum of 72 hours over any 7 day period
• Maximum duty period of 12 hours
• Maximum door-to-door time (from/to place of rest) of 14
hours.
• No more than 13 duty periods can be booked in any 14 day
period.
Please note that the above are the maximum allowable and
should not represent a target!
First steps – Education/Awareness
Please make sure that you consider your own well
being when changing shifts, and when volunteering for
and working overtime.
• Use accommodation provided by your employer.
• Make sure you are rested before your shift.
• Arrive “fit for work”.
• Be sure to invoke the “work safe” procedure if you
feel unable to work or travel safely due to fatigue.
• Get home safe.
Further Information
Fatigue is a major contributor, often concealed, in
many accidents and incidents, which needs to be
actively managed in the Railway environment
along with the demands for night working and shift
changes.
•
•
•
•
Further information on the effects of, and
techniques for managing fatigue can be found at:
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/
http://www.rssb.co.uk/
www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/
http://www.safety.networkrail.co.uk/Projects/RIAG