Looking for Trouble on Fatigue Bud Hudspith Unite National H&S Adviser

What is “fatigue” The issues that arise from excessive working time or poorly designed shift patterns It is generally considered to be a decline in mental and/or physical performance that results from prolonged exertion, sleep loss and/or disruption of the internal clock It is also related to workload, in that workers are more easily fatigued if their work is machine-paced, complex or monotonous

EU Working Time Directive gives EU workers at least 4 weeks (28 days) in paid holidays each year rest breaks at work rest of at least 11 hours in any 24 hours restricts excessive night work a day off after a week's work and right to work no more than 48 hours a week

UK Govt reaction UK Employment Secretary David Hunt "The UK strongly opposes any attempt to tell people that they can no longer work the hours they want.“ Anti H&S? since excessive working time is cited as a major cause of stress, depression and illness, the stated purpose of the Directive is to protect people's health and safety.

UK HSE on Fatigue Key principles in fatigue Fatigue needs to be managed, like any other hazard Incidents greater on night shifts, after a succession of shifts, when shifts are long and when there are inadequate breaks Changes to working hours need to be risk assessed Employees should be consulted on working hours and shift patterns. Develop and implement a policy that specifically addresses and sets limits on working hours, overtime and shift-swapping, and which guards against fatigue Sleep disturbances can lead to a ‘sleep debt’ and fatigue From HSE website http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/fatigue.htm

Long Hours and Accidents Frequent overtime can increase accident risks and so can long hours at work. For the first 8 or 9 hours in a shift, the accident risk is constant, but after 12 hours, the risk approximately doubles and after 16 hours, it trebles. Source: Occupational Safety and Health Service New Zealand (1998). ISBN 0-477-03604-X – quoted by UK HSE

Office of Rail Regulation Fatigue (extreme tiredness) identified as one of the main causes of incidents Workers become less alert or motivated, make more mistakes or poor decisions Includes the effects fatigue itself has on the health of the worker ORR, A Guide to ROGS, Oct 2014 (The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006)

OSHA and fatigue Is there an OSHA standard? Currently, there is not a specific OSHA Standard for extended or unusual work shifts What should workers know? Extended or unusual work shifts may be more stressful physically, mentally, and emotionally. Non-traditional shifts and extended work hours may disrupt the body's regular schedule, leading to increased fatigue, stress, and lack of concentration. These effects lead to an increased risk of operator error, injuries and/or accidents.

The Effects of Fatigue Fatigue results in slower reactions, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness, decreased awareness, lack of attention, underestimation of risk, reduced coordination Fatigue can lead to errors and accidents, ill-health, injury, reduced productivity. It is often a root cause of major accidents e.g. Herald of Free Enterprise, Chernobyl, Texas City, Clapham Junction, Challenger, Exxon Valdez HSE website http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/fatigue.htm

Symptoms of Fatigue Insomnia Depression and anxiety Headaches Confusion Dizziness Blurred vision Unexplained weight loss or gain Digestive problems

Some causes of fatigue Duration of shifts, and shift patterns Ability to sleep, sleep quailty, and sleeping disorders Scheduling and quality of rest breaks at work Commuting time to and from the workplace. Workload, responsibilities, working environment Repetitive, monotonous, demanding work The impact of second or multiple jobs Stress at work

Tackling Fatigue Some points to consider Reduce working hours and shifts Rest between shifts Shifts rotate ‘forwards’ that is, mornings, then afternoons, then nights Quality rest breaks at work Contingency plans to avoid overloading one person with overtime or double shifts Incidents or accidents where fatigue may be responsible are thoroughly investigated