Fighting fatigue in manufacturing

An increasing number of employees in manufacturing industries are working in a state of sleep deprivation and/or circadian desynchrony. An increase in shift work and extended hours are being blamed for the growing incidence of worker fatigue, with shiftwork now an identified OHS hazard.

Fatigue has been implicated as a contributing factor in such catastrophic workplace disasters as the Chernobyl nuclear explosion and the grounding of the Exxon Valdez. But it's not just high-profile incidents - too many accidents and deaths in the manufacturing and transport industries are the result of fatigue.

Naomi L Rogers PhD from the Sleep and Circadian Research Group at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research told Safety Solutions that there is a risk of fatigue-related accidents in any workplace where there is machinery being operated.

She says that the effects of fatigue can include:

• Difficulty in concentrating
• Slowed response times
• Poor decision making
• Reduced alertness

"Often it is the routine tasks where errors are made or inappropriate responses occur, rather than novel tasks where interest and alertness may be higher," she says.

Outward signs of fatigue

People commonly have trouble distinguishing when their functioning and performance is affected by fatigue, especially if they are repeatedly exposed to it. But Rogers says there are outward signs of fatigue that can make it obvious to co-workers when someone is affected.

"Things like excessive yawning, stretching, moving around a lot and drinking lots of coffee are often indicators that someone is having difficulty in remaining awake and alert," she says.

"Slower responses to questions or in response to signals from machinery or computers someone is working on are another sign."

Shiftwork is currently viewed as one of the major contributors to this condition because essentially, people are required to be awake and alert at a time when the body normally wants to be asleep.

Furthermore, "shiftworkers attempt to sleep during the day when the body wants to be awake", Rogers adds. "As a consequence, shiftworkers tend to experience difficulty in maintaining sleep and sometimes initiating sleep, and their sleep tends to be less consolidated than night sleep and of poorer quality.

"This means they tend to also experience sleep deprivation as well as circadian disruption, such that on the next night shift they are dealing with inadequate sleep as well as trying to stay awake across the night," she says.

Employer's duty of care

Australia's Occupational Health and Safety Act states that employers have a duty of care for the health and safety of employees in the workplace. And with shiftwork identified as an OHS hazard, employers are obliged to have a fatigue risk management system in place.

"These vary between industries and companies, but usually involve education and preventative measures where possible, and ensuring a safe work environment," Rogers says.

An adequate policy on fatigue should state what levels of fatigue are acceptable and the risks associated with each of these levels. Education is also one of the most important aspects and should cover fatigue and sleep both at work and home.

According to Rogers, employers should provide assistance with rostering and take into account shift duration, shift rotation, on duty tasks and time off for sleep. This could include providing resources for sleeping, transport for fatigued workers and a contingency plan for times when fatigue levels exceed the acceptable amount.

Rogers recommends that employees also learn to read their own signs of fatigue and try to understand what may have contributed to higher levels of fatigue than normal.

"It is important to try and maximise sleep opportunities and to have a sleep-friendly sleeping environment. Many people find napping helps, but these need to be timed appropriately to be of the greatest benefit, especially when on the job.

Finally, Rogers recommends monitoring caffeine consumption - both how much and when - and getting plenty of regular exercise.