Fatigue can affect safety in the workplace and is a significant risk in the transport industry, particularly for drivers. It can impact on workers psychological and physical health, as well as the health and safety of those around them, such as co-workers, customers and members of the public.

Fatigue can increase the likelihood of incidents and injuries, particularly when doing safety critical tasks where significant consequences may arise if errors occur.

Fatigue can result in reduced productivity and an increase in near misses, incidents, injuries and fatalities, even when the signs of fatigue may not be obvious. Some workers and particularly drivers are at a higher risk because their work involves many factors that contribute to fatigue.

Fatigue can be caused by:

• physically demanding or monotonous work
• mentally or emotionally demanding work
• hot, cold or noisy workplaces
• shift and night work
• long commuting times
• poor sleep and other lifestyle factors.

Symptoms of fatigue include:

• tiredness and irritability
• headaches and dizziness
• blurred vision
• memory loss and inability to concentrate
• repeated mistakes at work.

How fatigue affects your performance at work can be likened to how alcohol affects your performance. If you’re awake for 17 hours your performance at work would be impaired to the same level as having a 0.05 blood alcohol content. If you’re awake for 20 hours, it’s the same as having a 0.1 blood alcohol content.

The long-term health effects of fatigue can include high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression.

Early warning signs of fatigue while driving include:

• yawning
• poor concentration
• sore/tired eyes
• restlessness
• drowsiness
• slow reactions
• boredom
• oversteering.

What causes fatigue?

Fatigue can be caused by work or non-work-related factors or a combination of both. Work-related fatigue may result from:

• excessive work hours
• insufficient time to recover between shifts, including rotating shifts
• irregular hours
• monotonous work
• night work
• the impacts of energetic and exhausting or mentally or emotionally demanding work
• sedentary work.

Non-work related fatigue for example could include fatigue due to long transit times or poor-quality sleep due to family demands or street traffic noise.

The human body clock

Generally, workers are most active and productive during the daytime.

The circadian rhythms (the body clock) cause regular variations in individual body and mental functions that regulate sleeping patterns, body temperature, heart rate, hormone levels, digestion and many other functions.

These rhythms influence job performance and quality of sleep. Most of the body’s basic functions show maximum activity by day and minimum activity by night. The body rhythms affect the behaviour, alertness, reaction times and mental capacity of people to varying degrees.

Fatigue and the transport industry

Driver fatigue is one of the top three contributors to the road toll. Research has shown that fatigue can be as dangerous as other road safety issues, such as drink driving.

Fatigue may increase the risk of incidents because of a lack of alertness. It may result in a slower reaction to signals or situations and affect a person’s ability to react, and make good decisions, particularly when:

• driving vehicles
• undertaking critical tasks that require a high level of concentration such as working at heights and securing loads
• undertaking driving at night or shift work when a person would normally be sleeping.

If operating a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle, ensure daily work activities and rest periods are accurately recorded in accordance with legislative requirements.

Learn more on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator website.

Fatigue management

Businesses must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers while they are at work. This means if fatigue is identified as a risk to work health and safety, then suitable control measures must be implemented in consultation with workers to eliminate or minimise the risks.

The Guide for managing the risk of fatigue at work provides practical guidance for businesses and other duty holders on how to manage fatigue to ensure it does not contribute to health and safety risks in the workplace.

Transport for NSW has a fact sheet on managing fatigue. These tips to avoid driving tired may help you and your workers plan ahead to ensure fatigue is managed.

Stop Revive Survive can help your drivers to detect the early warning signs of fatigue when driving and locate rest areas in NSW.

Driver Reviver sites operate throughout Australia during school/university holidays with places to take a break.

Interactive rest area maps allow you and your drivers to plan rest stops.

Incident information release

A 52-year-old truck driver was fatally injured in northern NSW at a changeover location.

The driver was crossing the road at night, which at the time of the incident, was lined with trucks on either side. A heavy vehicle driving in the middle of the road struck the driver who was not wearing high visibility clothing at the time.

Read the incident information release.

Workplace facilities

Businesses must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that adequate facilities are provided for workers, including sufficient toilets, drinking water, washing and eating facilities.

In the transport industry, drivers are often reliant on offsite facilities and those available at other workplaces.

When managing your drivers’ ability to access suitable facilities, consider the following:

• general rest areas are often not suitable for heavy vehicle drivers. When planning trips, drivers need information about rest areas (including the size and number of parking bays, the availability of facilities, shade and other details)
• specific engagement with female drivers should be undertaken on the provision of toilet and washing facilities at rest area locations
• consult with your supply chain to ensure your drivers will be provided with adequate facilities when they arrive to load/unload
• ensure your drivers have access to provisions in circumstances where they are unable to access suitable facilities eg. hand sanitiser, drinking water, sunscreen/shade, air conditioning.

These provided facilities (amenities) must be in good working order. This includes access to amenities that are clean and safe, have accessible toilets, clean drinking water, handwashing facilities, eating and break facilities, first aid equipment, and may include secure storage for personal items.

Additional guidance can be found in the Code of Practice Managing the Work Environment and Facilities.

First aid

You must provide workers access to first aid equipment and facilities. Keep first aid kits close to areas where there is a higher risk of injury or illness, such as the amenities, warehouse and inside all work vehicles.

Additional first aid requirements vary depending on the nature of the work, type of hazards, workplace size and location, as well as the number of workers. To identify your requirements, see the Code of practice for first aid in the workplace.