Rail Safety News Issue seven June 2012
Your fatigue management responsibilities as a rail safety worker
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Your fatigue management responsibilities as a rail safety workerRail safety worker fatigue is widely accepted as a safety issue in the rail industry. To address this issue, Victorian rail safety legislation imposes obligations on rail operators to develop and implement strategies for controlling risks associated with the fatigue of rail safety workers. Fatigue can have serious short term and long term effect on health as well as work performance. It is important to understand these effects and work towards minimising their impact. The long-term effects on health associated with ongoing fatigue and lack of sleep may include heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, and anxiety. In the short term, fatigue can lead to a reduced ability to:
The nature of these effects means that people who are fatigued are more likely to make errors and be involved in accidents. Fatigue can also cause uncontrollable sleep onset which is particularly dangerous in the high risk rail environment. It is important to understand that some people may not “feel tired” before their performance is impaired by fatigue. Once fatigued, people are less able to make this kind of assessment. Therefore, it is important to know what can cause fatigue and to plan ahead to minimise the chance of being impaired by fatigue when working. To reduce your risk of being involved in a fatigue related incident or accident at work, you should:
The table shows the factors that contribute to fatigue and gives some examples of each factor. These include loss of sleep and cumulative fatigue, extended working hours, time of day, irregularity of sleep patterns, task demands and work environment, and health and fitness.
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