Managing risks

How to manage fatigue risks 

Managing risks involves 4 steps:

1. identify what might cause fatigue or where fatigue might increase other risks
2. assess the risk of, and from, fatigue
3. control the risk by implementing the most effective and reliable control measures to prevent fatigue completely (where possible) or minimise the risk from fatigue, and
4. review and monitor control measures to check they are working and whether there is anything more you can do.

These steps must all be done in consultation with your workers and any HSRs.

Below are examples of ways you can manage fatigue risks. Not all will be reasonable in your workplace, and you may have other risks or ways of controlling them not listed below. 

Where it is not reasonable to control the risk in one way you may need to do more to control the risks in other ways. For example, if you can’t avoid long shifts you may need to provide more breaks or give workers more control of the pace they work at.

Working hours and shift design

• Limit the length of shifts and allow at least 12 hours for workers to recover between shifts.
• Avoid long hours over a week, limit the number of consecutive workdays and allow at least one full day off a week.
• Avoid contacting workers outside of work time.
• Makeshift patterns as regular as possible and avoid last minute changes.
• Provide regular flexible breaks during shifts.
• Avoid work at times when workers would normally be sleeping.
• If night work is necessary:
  o    limit consecutive night shifts to 3 nights 
  o    avoid safety critical work between 2am and 6am, and
  o    provide as much notice as possible before night shifts so workers have the chance to adjust their sleep patterns. 

Tasks, equipment or environment 

• Avoid long periods of high physical, mental or emotional effort.
• Allow workers time to adjust to new tasks.
• Select tools and equipment to minimise mental and physical work demands (e.g. power tools or software).
• Ensure tools and equipment are well-maintained.
• Streamline or design out unnecessary tasks to reduce workloads.
• Ensure the workload is appropriate for the skills and experience of the worker and the time available.
• Redesign jobs to include a variety of tasks.
• Ensure work areas are well lit.
• Address psychosocial hazards (e.g. workplace conflict or poor role clarity).
• Make the work environment comfortable (e.g. temperature, noise and air quality).
• Provide break facilities, drinking water and healthy food, or a way to store and heat healthy food.
• Ensure any worker accommodation you provide allows for restful sleep and recovery. 

Individual (both work and non-work)

• Train workers and set clear expectations about managing fatigue.
• Have clear fatigue policies clarifying expectations with workers, such as policies on second jobs.
• Have a process for workers to report fatigue. Note - workers are more likely to accurately report fatigue if they know how you will respond and are confident, they won’t be punished.
• Have a system for managers and workers to assess fitness for work before a shift.
• Consult with workers to identify if individual factors might increase the risk of fatigue and how they can be managed (e.g. travel time between work and home, workers with poor sleep environments, sleep disorders or caring responsibilities).

Fatigue impacts on other risks

• If you are concerned a worker may be fatigued, do not direct or allow them to carry out high risk tasks.
• Assess where and how fatigue might impact on other risks (e.g. operating machinery, handling hazardous substances or administering medication).
• Prevent fatigue-related errors if possible (e.g. provide tools which prevent errors or schedule safety critical tasks early in a workers’ shift).
• Protect workers from harm if fatigue-related errors occur (e.g. provide cars with safety features; ensure equipment has appropriate guards and is fitted with safety trigger mechanisms to stop the equipment safely if the operator falls asleep).
• Implement systems to protect workers from harmful workplace interactions and behaviours (e.g. providing options to refer difficult customers to a supervisor if they are fatigued).