Wake up to fatigue risk management

Abstract

There have been several high-profile accidents in industry where fatigue was identified as either causal or contributory. The risk of fatigue is inherent in any worktime arrangement involving shift work, long hours of work, irregular hours, extended work hours, and work that is physically or mentally demanding, repetitive or requires high vigilance. The management of fatigue is not simply a matter of correct shift scheduling - a more comprehensive approach is needed. In order to be successful, a fatigue management programme should address the unique needs of the operation in which it will be implemented, it should be integrated into the normal operations, and it should encourage active participation from all stakeholders. A fatigue management programme should address task- as well as worker-related factors associated with worker fatigue. This paper will discuss the framework of such a programme.