Fatigue Management Guidelines - tal

Fatigue Management

Workplace Safety & Health Guidelines

Year of Issue: 2010

Contents

Preface 3

Executive Summary 4

Chapter 1: Fatigue in the Workplace 51.1 UnderstandingFatigue 51.1.1 DefinitionofFatigue 51.1.2 IdentificationofFatigue 61.2 FactorsContributingtoFatigue 61.2.1 Work-relatedFactors 61.2.2 FactorsOutsideWork 71.3 EffectsofFatigue 71.3.1 ImplicationsandImpact 71.3.2 EffectsofFatigueonSafetyandHealthPerformance 71.3.3 EffectsofFatigueonWorkplaceInjuries 71.3.4 ConsequencestoBusinesses 8 CaseStudy1 8 CaseStudy2 91.4 Legislation 101.4.1 WorkplaceSafetyandHealthAct 10

Chapter 2: Risk Assessment Approach to Fatigue Management 122.1 HazardIdentification 122.2 RiskEvaluation 122.2.1 IdentifyExistingRiskControlsthatCanControltheOnsetofFatigue 122.2.2 DeterminethePotentialSeverityofEachoftheIdentifiedHazardsAssessed 132.2.3 EstablishtheLikelihoodorProbabilityofOccurrenceofthe 13 Accidents,Incidentsand/orIllHealthArisingfromtheIdentifiedHazards2.2.4 DeterminetheRiskLevelofanActivity(Low,MediumorHigh) 132.3 RiskControl 142.4 MonitoringandReviewoftheRiskAssessmentPlan 15

Chapter 3: Preventing and Controlling the Effects of Workplace Fatigue 163.1 GoodPracticesandTools 163.1.1 EngineeringControls 163.1.2 AdministrativeControls 173.2 FatigueManagementTechniques 193.2.1 MeasurementofFatigue 193.3 ExamplesofFatigueManagementTechnologies 20

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Chapter4: SafetyandHealthManagementSystem 224.1 FatigueManagementProgramme 224.1.1 OrganisationRolesinDevelopingandImplementingaFatigue 22

ManagementProgramme4.1.2 FatigueRiskAssessment 234.1.3 SafetyInspection/Observation 234.1.4 FatigueReportingMechanism 244.1.5 MonitoringFatigueManagementProgramme 244.1.6 FatigueManagementTraining 254.1.7 SafetyandHealthPromotion/Campaigns 254.1.8 ManagementReview 274.1.9 DocumentationandReviewofFatigueManagementProgramme 27

Acknowledgements 29AnnexAExampleofaRiskAssessment 30AnnexBWorkplaceSafetyandHealthManagementSystem 31AnnexCExampleofaFatigueManagementProgrammeChecklist 32

References 35

ListofFiguresFigure1CircadianPatternsofTypicalHuman 5Figure2PicturesTakenDuringtheInvestigation 8Figure3RiskMatrixtoDetermineRiskLevels 14Figure4HierarchyofControlMeasures 14Figure5FatigueCalculator 20Figure6DriverStateSensor 21

ListofTablesTable1IndicatorsforDeterminingLevelofFatigue 19Table2QuestionsandGuidelinestoDeterminetheOnsetofFatigue 19Table3ExampleofaPre-workInspectionChecklistforVehicularDriving 23

Fatigueisastateoftirednessleadingtoreducedmentaland/orphysicalperformancethatcanendangerworkplacesafety.Theonsetoffatiguewhileatworkcandecreaseaperson’salertnessandcompromisehisorhermotorskills,reflexability,judgementanddecision-making.Allthesehaveobviousimplicationsforworkplacesafetyandhealth.

Inordinatelylongworkinghoursandpoorlyplannedshiftworkcanresultinemployeefatigue.Specifically,inappropriateand/orineffectivemanagementofworkschedulescanleadtoquickonset of fatigue. Fatigue amongst employees can lead to workplace accidents and near-missincidents arising from reduced alertness and concentration.Thus, factors contributing to theonsetoffatiguemustbeaddressed.Elementscontributingtofatiguecomprise:

• Organisational factors, e.g. the lack of a fatigue management policy to manage factorscontributingtofatiguesuchas:

- Unexpectedincreaseinworkload;

- Lackofequipment;

- Lackofmanpower;and

- Natureofwork.

• Environmentalfactors,e.g.lightingandtemperature.

• Individualfactors,e.g.stateofindividualhealthandlifestyleaswellassocialfactors.

Although it is difficult to totally eliminate long working hours and night shift work, having afatigue management policy and plan can help to eliminate or control adverse impact onworkplacesafetyandhealthperformance.

Currently, there are no national standards on fatigue management.This general guideline onfatiguemanagementisdevelopedtoprovideguidancetoassistindustriesinmanagingfatiguefromthesafetyandhealthperspective.Itincludesrecommendedmeasurestoavoidlongworkhoursandmanageshiftworkeffectivelytopreventtheonsetoffatigueintheworkplace.

Thisguidelineservesto:

a) Raiseawarenessofworkplacesafetyandhealthhazardsandrisksassociatedwithfatigue;

b) Provideguidanceontherecommendedmeasuresandpracticestomanagefatigue intheworkplace;and

c) Establish guidelines for maintaining optimal work performance through a healthylifestyle.

Preface

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Chapter1: FatigueintheWorkplace

1.1 UnderstandingFatigue1.1.1 DefinitionofFatigueThereisacircadianrhythminallhumans(refertoFigure1).Thecircadianrhythmisthebody’sbiologicalclockwhichactsasthebody’sinternal“alarmclock”;tellingthebodywhentosleep,whentowakeupandwhentoeat.Thecircadianrhythmcanbedisruptedbychangesindailyschedule.Disruptioninthecircadianrhythmcanresultintheonsetoffatigue.Onaverage,anadultrequires8hoursofsleepina24-hourperiod.Acontinualsleepoflessthanthatrequiredwillincurasleepdebtthatcannotberecoveredwithinoneday.Recoveryusuallyrequiresafewdaysofadequatesleep.

Thisguidelineaimstoprovideindustrieswithrelevantinformationonhowtosetupafatiguemanagement programme. It provides basic information to raise awareness of the impact offatigueonworkplacesafetyandhealth.

As industries vary in their specific operational context, working environment and servicesproviding the same set of fatigue management policies would not apply uniformly to eachindustry.

Theguidelinepresentsinformationonthefollowing:

• Factorscontributingtofatigue;

• Effectsandimplicationsoffatigueonsafetyandhealthperformance;

• Riskassessmentasanapproachtofatiguemanagement;

• Goodpracticesforfatiguemanagement;

• Meansoffatigueassessment;and

• FatigueManagementProgramme.

The guideline serves as a source of reference for employers and employees to develop andestablishafatiguemanagementpolicyandprogramme.

ExecutiveSummary

Figure 1: Circadian Patterns of Typical Human.

Fatigue is a state when a person feels physically and/or mentally tired. The types of fatigueinclude:

• Physicalfatigue(reducedabilitytodomanualwork);and/or

• Mentalfatigue(decreasedlevelofconcentration,alertness).

Fatiguecanbecausedby:• Longworkinghourswithoutinterveningrest/recuperationperiods;• Intenseandsustainedphysicalexertion;• Intenseandsustainedmentaleffort;

Highalertness

Highesttestosteronesecretion

Noon

Bestcoordination

Fastestreactiontime

Greatestcardiovascularefficiencyandmusclestrength

HighestbloodpressureHighestbodytemprature

Melatoninsecretionstarts

BowelmovementssupressedMidnight

Deepestsleep

Lowestbodytemperature

Sharpestriseinbloodpressure

Melatoninsecretionstops

Bowelmovementlikely

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• Working during some or all of the natural time for sleep (as a result of shift or long workhours);and

• Lackofadequaterestandsleep.

1.1.2 IdentificationofFatigueAfatiguedpersongenerallydisplaysasetofsymptomsthatcanberecognisedbutthesemayoften not be identified as fatigue. The common symptoms of fatigue listed below can helpmanagersandsupervisorsinidentifyingfatigueamongstemployees:

• Unduetiredness;

• Higherlevelofirritabilityorimpatience;

• Personspeakslessthanusualorislessclearincommunication;

• Shorterattentionspan,easilydistracted;

• Slowerreactionspeed;

• Compromisedeye-handcoordination,increasedclumsiness;

• Slowedthinking;

• Reducedshort-termmemory,forgetful;

• Inabilitytohandleinformationespeciallyundertimepressure;

• Reducedabilityforproblemsolving;

• Takingshortcutstofinishjobs,highertendencyofrisktakingbehaviour;

• Poorjudgementofdistance,speed,and/ortime;

• Use/abuseofsubstancestocope(e.g.cigarettes,alcohol);

• Lossofappetiteorproblemswithdigestion;and

• ExcessivesleepinesswithMicrosleep1.

1.2 FactorsContributingtoFatigueA person’s circadian rhythm or body’s biological clock can be disrupted by changes in dailyschedulethroughvariousfactors.Theseincludeworkand/ornonwork-relatedfactors.

1.2.1 Work-relatedFactorsPoorworkschedulescandisruptaperson’scircadianrhythmasthebodyhastoadjusttodifferingtimesthuscontributingtotheonsetoffatigue.Forexample,itcaninclude:

• Rosterpatterns;

• Lengthofshiftsandtimeworked;

• Poorworkschedulingandplanning;

• Timingofshifts(e.g.nightshift);

• Insufficientrecoverytimebetweenshifts;

• Longperiodoftimeawake;and

• Inadequaterestbreaks.

1Microsleepisanoccurrenceofsleepthatcomesagainsttheperson’sdesire.Asitcanoccuranytimewithoutwarningandcanlastforseconds,thiscanbeextremelydangerouswhenitoccursduringsituationswhichdemandcontinualalertness,forexampledrivingandworkingwithmachinery.

Otherwork-relatedfactorsinclude:

• Nonconduciveenvironmentalconditions(e.g.,hotweather,rain,sunglare);

• Typeofworkundertaken(mentalorphysical);and

• Sustaineddemandingwork.

1.2.2 FactorsOutsideWorkDemographiccharacteristics:• Age(e.g.olderpeoplemaybelessabletocopewithnightshifts);and• Healthstatus(e.g.underlyingmedicalconditions).

Individualfactors:• Poorqualityofsleep;• Reducedsleepandrestduetosociallifeandfamilyneeds;• Otheremployment(part-timejobs);• Excessivetraveltime(distancefromhometoworkplace);and• Sleepdisorders.

1.3 EffectsofFatigue1.3.1 ImplicationsandImpactFatiguecanresultinsleepdeprivationwhichcanleadto:• Physicalandmentalimpairment;• Increaseinerrorrates;• Slowreactiontimestorespondtosituations;• Increasedriskofinjuries;and• SleepinessandMicrosleeps.

1.3.2 EffectsofFatigueonSafetyandHealthPerformanceShort-termeffectsoffatiguecanreducetheabilityto:• Stayawake;• Concentrateonaspecifiedtask;• Payattentiontosafeworkpractices;• Reacttochangesinsurroundingsorinformationprovided;• Makeerror-freedecisions;• Thinklaterallyandanalytically;• Rememberandrecalldetails;• Controlemotions,moodandhandlestress;• Recogniserisks;• Coordinateeye-handmovements(e.g.clumsinessandinstability);and• Communicatewell.

1.3.3 EffectsofFatigueonWorkplaceInjuriesFatiguecanaffectemployees’abilitytoconcentrateatwork.Thismayresultin:

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TPM-2cametoastopaftercollidingwithContainerD

TPM-3

Toavoidcollision,TPM-1swervedtoitsleft

TPM-2swervedandcollidedtorearofTPM-1

Drawingnottoscale

D

• Increasedworkplaceincidents;and

• Increasedstaffabsenteeismandturnover,resultinginreducedperformanceandproductivityatwork.

1.3.4 ConsequencestoBusinessesUnmanaged work-related fatigue can lead to reduction in productivity. Employees who arefatiguedmayperformlessefficiently.Theconsequencesofthiscouldrangefromrelativelyminoreventstoseriousincidents.RefertoCasestudies1and2.

Casestudy1

IncidentNearmidnight,agroupofworkerswasrestinginanopenyardarea.Fourofthemsleptbesideafabricatedsteelblockandonesleptinthepathbetweenthefabricatedsteelblockandsomesteelpipes.

Aforkliftdriverwastransportingconcreteblocksusingaseven-tonneforkliftinpreparationforlaterwork.Thedriverdidnotnoticetheworkerinhispathandandranoverhim.Theworkerwassenttothehospitalbutsuccumbedtohisinjuriesandwaspronounceddead.Refertofigure6.

InvestigationFindings• Thegroupofworkers(includingthedeceased)aswellastheforkliftdriverhadbeenworking

forlonghoursonthedayoftheaccident(morethan14hours).• Inparticular,theforkliftoperatorhadworkedformorethan20hoursontwoseparatedaysin

theweekbeforetheaccident.• The accident area was poorly illuminated. In addition, the deceased was wearing dark

colouredclothingwithoutreflectivematerialsorvest.• Theforkliftwasfoundtohavenofaultswhichcouldhavecontributedtotheaccident.The

driverhadnotoperateditinreversemode,althoughhisforwardviewhadbeenobstructedbytheconcreteblockhewastransporting.

• There were designated rest areas and their respective locations were made known to allworkers.Theclosestrestingshedwaslessthanaminute’swalkfromtheaccidentarea.

SystemicFailures• Failuretoensureworkersdonotworkextendedhoursandtherebyinducingfatigueinthem.

• Failureofworkerstousedesignatedrestareas.

• Failureofdeceasedtorestinasafelocation.

• Failuretoprovidesufficientilluminationintheworkarea.

• Failure of Forklift Operator to follow safe method of reverse-operation of forklift whenforwardviewwasobstructed.

Casestudy2

IncidentAtabout5amontheincidentday,Driver Aresumedworkafterhisfive-minute“CompulsoryShortBreak”andproceededtotransportatwenty-footcontainerwithTerminalPrimeMover1(TPM-1).Theshortbreakwasinstitutedbytheoccupierfornightshiftdrivers.Whiletransportingthecontainer,Driver AsawTPM-2andTPM-3travellingintheoppositedirectionalongthetwo-laneroad.Suddenly,TPM-2swerved intohis lane.Driver A swervedhisTPM-1tohis left toavoidadirectcollision.Asaresult,TPM-2collidedintotherearofTPM-1.Driver BofTPM-2wasthrownoutofhiscabinandlandedontheground.TPM-2continuedtomoveforwardandcametoastopaftercrashing intoContainerD.Driver Bsubsequentlysuccumbedtohis injury inthehospitalfromafracturedskullandwaspronounceddead.

SchematicofIncidentSite

Figure 2: Pictures Taken During the Investigation.

Positionof4co-workers

Positionofdeceased

Positionofdeceased

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PrimaryContributingFactors• Driver Bdidnotfastenhisseatbeltatthetimeoftheincident.Thiscausedhimtobethrown

outoftheTPMwhenthecollisionoccurred.Iftheseatbelthadbeenproperlyfastened,hewouldnotsuffertheskullfracturethatcausedhisdeath.

• PoormentalandphysicalconditionsofDriver Bduetolonghoursofworkmighthavecausedalapseinhisconcentration,leadingtothelossofcontrolofhisTPM.

• Driver Bdidnottakethe“CompulsoryShortBreak”mandatedbythecompany’spolicy.

OtherContributingFactors• ThelackofaproperlydesignedworkschedulefordrivershadresultedinDriverBworkingfor

fourconsecutivenightshifts.Thismighthaveindirectlycausedthedrivertobetiredandtolosehisconcentration,whicheventuallyledtotheincident.

• Duration of the CSB is deemed inadequate for the drivers to recuperate sufficiently. Theinstituteddurationofafive-minutebreakwouldonlyprovideabreakfromthedrivingroutine.As thecircadianrhythminhumanbeingswouldaffectonesability toperformeffectively,properrest(includingshortdurationsleep)couldgreatlyimproveaperson’sabilitytoworksafely.

Recommendations• Rules and regulation should not be violated. In this case, drivers should attend the

“CompulsoryShortBreak”torecuperate.Theyshouldalsoutilisetheseatbeltproperly.

• Managementshouldhaveaproperlydesignedworkschedulefordrivers.12-hournightshiftsshouldbelimitedtotwotothreeconsecutivenights,asadvisedbyestablishedguidelines.

• Longer CSB break durations would allow drivers to take short naps to recuperate, thusimprovingtheirperformanceandconcentration.Breaksof20to30minutes(suchas“powernaps”)arerecommendedfordriversofall shifts.Naps longerthan30minuteswillbe lesseffectiveasthe individual is likelytogo intoa“deep”sleeppattern.Thiswillcausehimtowakeupwithapost-napgrogginess.The improvements inalertnessandperformanceforsuch longernapswouldnotbeoptimum. Individualsshouldalsoallowsufficient timefortheirdrowsinesstowearoffbeforeresumingwork.

• Apersonshouldexerciseregularlytomaintainagoodlevelofphysicalfitness,soastoavoidgettingtiredeasilyduringnightshift.

1.4 Legislation1.4.1 WorkplaceSafetyandHealthActThe Act has the intent to inculcate good safety habits and practices in all individuals at theworkplace; from top management to the front line worker. It requires every person at theworkplace to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of everyworkplaceandworker.

Employershaveadutytoprovideareasonablypracticableworkingenvironmentthatissafeandwithoutrisktothehealthofemployees.Thisincludesremovingorcontrollingtherisksoffatigue

by organising and planning shift work arrangements, optimising work schedules to minimisefatigueandprovidingrestbreaks.

Employeesnotonlyhaveadutytotakereasonablecarefortheirownhealthandsafetybutalsoforthehealthandsafetyofothersintheworkplace.

1.4.1.1 RiskManagementRegulations

ForfulldetailsontheWSHAct,pleasevisitMOMwebsiteat:http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/legislation/Occupational_Safety_and_Health/workplace_safety_and.html

RiskManagementisakeycomponenttoreducehazardsatsource.UndertheWorkplaceSafetyandHealthAct,riskmanagementdutiesareimposedoneveryemployer,self-employedpersonand principal (including contractor and sub-contractor) to take all reasonably practicablemeasurestoensurethattheworkplaceissafefortheemployees.

UsefulguidesonRiskManagement:• GuidetoWorkplaceSafetyandHealth(RiskManagement)Regulations.• QuickGuidetoRiskAssessment.• RiskAssessmentGuidelines.• ActivityBasedRiskAssessmentForm.• TradeBasedRiskAssessmentForm.

Formoreinformationonriskassessment,refertotheGuidelinesonRiskAssessmentavailableontheMOMwebsiteat:http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/workplace_safety_andhealth/maintaining_a_safe_workplace/occupation_safety/risk_management.html

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Risk assessment can be adapted to the process of fatigue management. By identifying andassessing the various tasks that can result in undue fatigue, countermeasures can be easilychosen and planned.This chapter will concentrate on matters related to fatigue that can beimplementedintheriskassessmentprocess.

2.1 HazardIdentificationFatigueamongstemployeesisahazardintheworkplace.Thus,itisimportanttoestablishthefatiguefactorsassociatedwiththedifferentworkactivitiesandthepotentialincidentsthatmayoccurasaresultoffatigue.Itisimportanttonotethatsuchfactorsareofteninterrelatedtooneanother.

Toidentifyfatiguehazardsintheworkplace,thefollowingfactorsneedconsideration:• Trendsofaccidents;and• Ratesofoccupationalhealthandinjuries.

Consider if fatigue could have been a contributing cause to a workplace incident in theinvestigationprocess.Whenanincidentoccurred,thefollowingquestionscanhelptoascertainiffatiguehadbeenacontributingfactor:• Timeofaccident:

- Didtheaccidenthappenatnight?- Didtheaccidenthappenwhentheworker’sconcentrationwaspoor?

• Workinghours:- Hastheemployeebeenworkinglonghoursandshiftworkcontinuously?

• Facilitycondition:- Isthefacilityconducivefortheworkcarriedout?- Wastheemployeeexposedtoadverseworkingconditionssuchasexposuretochemicals,

heat,dustduetopoorventilation,noiseduetopooracousticdesign,andpoorvisibilityduetodimlighting?

2.2 RiskEvaluationRiskevaluationistheprocessofestimatingtherisklevelsoftheidentifiedhazardsanddecidingwhether the risks can be accepted. This is used as a basis for prioritising actions to controlidentifiedhazardsandthereby,minimisingrisks.

2.2.1 IdentifyExistingRiskControlsthatCanControltheOnsetofFatigueExamplesofidentificationofriskcontrols:• Isthereafatiguemanagementpolicy/setofguidelinesinplace?• Are working hours audited and reviewed to eliminate excessive long work hours and

inappropriateshiftworkbyemployees?

Chapter2:RiskAssessmentApproachtoFatigueManagement

• Havemanualorrepetitivetasksbeensubstitutedwiththeuseofequipmentormachinery?• Aremachinesusedkeptup-to-date?• Isthereanyneedtoenhanceexistingequipmentused,suchastheinstallationofmachine

guards?• HavetheemployeesbeenassessedwithregardtotheuseoftherequiredPersonalProtective

Equipment(PPE)?Forexample:Anyemployeesufferingfromasthmaoranyhealthconditionthataffectshis/heruseofrespiratorymasks?

2.2.2 DeterminethePotentialSeverityofEachoftheIdentifiedHazardsAssessedSeverity refers to the degree or extent of fatigue due to the identified hazard. It is classifiedinto three categories: Minor, Moderate and Major. An example of determining the severity ofidentifiedhazardsfollows:

• Driving of powered vehicles over long shift periods, without appropriate rest breaks, cancauseemployeestobephysicallyand/ormentallydrained,andmayresultinfatalorseriousinjuries.Hence,theseverityofthehazardcanbeclassifiedas“major”.

2.2.3 EstablishtheLikelihoodorProbabilityofOccurrenceoftheAccidents,Incidentsand/orIllhealthArisingfromtheIdentifiedHazardsSimilar to severity, likelihood is also classified into three categories: Remote, Occasional andFrequent. An example of establishing the likelihood of occurrence of the accidents, incidentsarisingfromtheidentifiedhazardsfollows:

• Repetitivework(suchasassemblylinework)canquicklyaffectthementalconcentrationofemployees,makingthelikelihoodoffatiguefrequentforsuchactivities.

2.2.4 DeterminetheRiskLevelofanActivity(Low,MediumorHigh)Therisklevelisdeterminedbasedonboththeseverityandlikelihoodoffatigue.

2.3 RiskControl

RiskLevel RiskAcceptability Recommendedactions

LowRisk Acceptable

Noadditionalriskcontrolmeasuresmaybeneeded.However,frequentreviewmaybeneededtoensurethattherisklevelassignedisaccurateanddoesnotincreaseovertime.

MediumRisk

Moderatelyacceptable

Acarefulevaluationofthehazardsshouldbecarriedouttoensurethattherisklevelisreducedtoaslowasispracticablewithinadefinedtimeperiod.

Interimriskcontrolmeasures,suchasadministrativecontrols,maybeimplemented.

Managementattentionisrequired.

HighRisk Notacceptable

HighRisklevelmustbereducedtoatleastMediumRiskbeforeworkcommences.

Thereshouldnotbeanyinterimriskcontrolmeasuresandriskcontrolmeasuresshouldnotbeoverlydependentonpersonalprotectiveequipmentorappliances.Ifneedbe,thehazardshouldbeeliminatedbeforeworkcommences.

Immediatemanagementinterventionisrequiredbeforeworkcommences.

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RiskLevel RiskAcceptability Recomnnendedactions

LowRisk Acceptable

Noadditionalriskcontrolmeasuresmaybeneeded.However,frequentreviewmaybeneededtoensurethattherisklevelassignedisassurateansdoesnotincereaseovertime.

MediumRisk

Moderatelyacceptable

Acarefulevaluationofthehazardsshouldbecarriedouttoensurethattherisklevelisreducedtoaslowasispracticablewithinadefinedtimeperiod.

Interimriskcontrolmeasures,suchasadministrativecontrols,maybeimplemented.

Managementattentionisrequired.

HighRisk Notacceptable

HighRisklevelmustbereducedtoatleastMediumRiskbeforeworkcommences.

Thereshouldnotbeanyinterimriskcontrolmeasuresandriskcontrolmeasuresshouldnotbeoverlydependentonpersonalprotectiveequipmentorappliances.Ifneedbe,thehazardshouldbeeliminatedbeforeworkcommences.

Immediatemanagementinterventionisrequiredbeforeworkcommences.

Figure 3: Risk Matrix to Determine Risk Levels.

It is essential for hazards to be eliminated or reduced at source. The control of hazards andreduction of risks can be accomplished by following the Hierarchy of Control Measures.These control measures are not usually mutually exclusive e.g. engineering controls can beimplementedtogetherwithadministrativecontrolsliketrainingandsafeworkprocedures.

Elimination

Figure 4: Hierarchy of Control Measures.

Eliminationreferstothetotalremovalofthehazardsandhenceeffectivelypreventingpossibleaccidentsandincidents.

This is a permanent solution and should be attempted in the first instance. If the hazard iseliminated,theriskassociatedwiththehazardwillbeeliminated.

SubstitutionThisinvolvesreplacingthehazardbyonethatpresentsalowerrisk.

EngineeringControlsEngineering controls are physical means that limit exposure to the hazard. These includestructural changes to the work environment or work processes such as erecting a barrier tointerruptthetransmissionpathbetweentheemployeeandthehazard.

AdministrativeControlsThese reduce or eliminate exposure to a hazard by adherence to procedures or instructions.Documentation should emphasise all the steps to be taken and the controls to be used incarryingouttheactivitysafely.

PersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE)PPEusagemaycontributetotheonsetoffatigue,ifthedisadvantagesoutweightheadvantages.Forexample,itisimportanttoassessemployees’suitabilitytousetherequiredPPE,especiallytheuseofrespirators.Alternativemethodsshouldbeconsidered,whereverpossible.

Thesuccessofthiscontroldependscriticallyontheprotectiveequipmentbeingchosencorrectly,fittedcorrectly,wornatalltimesandmaintainedproperly.

2.4 MonitoringandReviewoftheRiskAssessmentPlanRegular review of the risk assessment plan is critical to ensure that the control measures areeffective.Areviewshouldtakeplacewhenever:

• Newinformationonsafetyriskssurfaces;or

• Therearechangestotheareaofwork;or

• Afteranyincident.

Employersarerequiredtoreviewtheirplansatleasteverythreeyears.

The risk assessment team should undertake the same three steps (hazard identification, riskevaluation and risk control) when conducting a risk assessment review. Regular auditing isrequired to ensure that risk control measures have been implemented and are functioningeffectively.

Exampleofriskassessment,pleaserefertoAnnexA.

ELIMINATION

SUBSTITUTION

ADMINISTRATIVE

ENGINEERINGCONTROLS

PERSONALPROTECTIONEQUIPMENT

(PPE)

SafeDesign

SafeWorker

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A customised safety management system with risk controls measures that are specific to thefatiguerisksofparticularbusiness/operationsshouldincludethefollowinggoodpracticesandtools:

3.1 GoodPracticesandToolsMusclescanrecoverwithrestornon-activity.Themindtoocanberestoredthroughrestandsleep.The best approach to prevent fatigue is having adequate sleep or rest. However thereare methods which can slow down the onset of fatigue and control the risk.This is done byrecognisingthecontributingfactorsthatleadtotheonsetoffatigue.

As fatigue is caused by a combination of factors, the most effective way to manage it is byadopting a combination of risk control measures and good practices. An account follows onsomegoodpracticestopreventandcontroltheeffectsofworkplacefatigue:

3.1.1 EngineeringControlsFatiguecanberelatedtothetypeofworkanditsworkload.Engineeringcontrolscanreducethepotentialrisktheemployeeisexposedto.

ChangestoWorkEnvironmentEnvironmental factors contribute to the onset of fatigue. Employees are easily fatigued iftheir working environment induces sleepiness. Factors known to induce sleepiness includeinsufficientlightingandwarmtemperatures.Thefollowingaresomemeasurestoimprovetheworkenvironment:

• Ensure adequate lighting, as dim environment strains the eyes and creates a tendency tosleep.Sufficientlightingintheworkplacecanhelptoimprovethealertnessandperformance.RefertoSpringSingaporeStandard,SS531–CodeofPracticeforlightingofworkplaces.

• Provide adequate ventilation in the work environment to ensure work condition is notat extreme temperatures (neither too hot nor cold). When the temperature of the workenvironmentistoohot,thefollowingmeasurescanbeadopted:

- Insulate hot surfaces or pipes with aluminum or paint to reduce the amount of heatradiated;

- Providelocalisedairconditioning;

- Provideanti-glarewindows;and

- Locateworkstationsawayfromheatradiationplacesorprovidecoolobservationbooths.

• Providesheltersinhotworkingconditions.

• Providefacilitiesforbreaks,suchasapantryandbathroomfacilities.

Chapter3:PreventingandControllingtheEffectsofWorkplaceFatigue

3.1.2 AdministrativeControlsFatigueintheworkplacecanbemanagedthroughproceduresorinstructionstocarryouttheactivitysafely.

SuggestionsonWorkScheduling• Schedulecomplextaskstobeperformedonlyduringtheday;

• Schedule critical safety work activities outside of the 2am to 6am window, and to alesser degree, between 2pm and 4pm where low circadian rhythm results in less optimalperformance;

• Keeporlimitnightshiftworktoaminimum.Anexampleistolimitshiftworktoessentialjobsandtasksthatmustbecompletedatnight;

• Limitshiftworktonotmorethan12hoursincludingovertime;

• Avoidquickshiftchangeovers,suchasfinishingat11pmandstartingagainat7am;

• Adoptforward-rotationshift(i.e.morningtoafternoon,afternoontonight),ifshiftrotationcannotbeavoided;

• Providetransportationafterworkforemployeesworkinglongshiftsornightshifts;

• Planshiftschedulesaheadoftimeandcommunicatethemtoemployees;

• Allowtimeforcommunicationofshifthandovers;

• Avoid providing incentives to encourage employees to work excessive hours. Incentive-based programmes may encourage employees to work excessive hours and may causeemployeestoworkdespitefeelingfatigued;

• Introducejobrotation;

• Implement a buddy system for work exigencies, long work hours or critical safety workactivitieswherearescheduleisnotpossible;

• Conductanassessmenttoensureadequatestaffing/manpoweronashiftsothattheplantcanoperatesafely;

• Considertheskillleveloftheshiftteam;

• Providesufficientsupervision,particularlyduringperiodsofhighfatigue(suchasnighttimeorinthelatterhalfofshifts)andespeciallyforhazardouswork;

• Have in place contingency plans if employees become fatigued — this would involveremovingfatiguedemployeesfromworkactivitieswherethereisaconsiderablerisktosafetyand/orhealth(e.g.operatingheavymachineryorplant);and

• Incorporatefatiguemanagementintheplanningofemergencyresponsesplan.

JobRedesignBy redefining aspects of certain jobs, it may be possible to prevent unnecessary build up offatigue.

• Iftheworkisnotrequiredtobedoneinthenightshift,itshouldbescheduledtodaytimehours;and

• Redesigningworkpracticessothatroutineadministrativetasksareminimisedfornightshiftemployees,allowingthemtofocusoncoredutiesduringnightwork.

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Indicator Description

Absenteerates Fatiguedemployeestendtobeabsentfromworkmoreoften.

Staffturnoverrates Fatiguecanresultinjobdissatisfaction.

Use/abuseofsubstances E.g.Alcohol,cigarettes,sleepingpillsetc.

Work-relatedstrains Fatiguedemployeestendtogetinjuredeasily.Ariseininjuryclaimsisafactorthatmaybeindicativeoffatigue.

Stimulantusage Fatiguedemployeesarelikelytosmokeandtakeprescribedornon-prescribedstimulants,suchascaffeine.

Lostproductivetime Fatiguedemployeeswillresultinlowerproductivityduetopoorerworkperformanceandhealth-relatedissues.

StrategiesonCopingwithDemandsofWorkIncluderestperiodsintheworkschedule.Whendecidingonthelengthandfrequencyofbreaks,consider:

• The type of work being performed, for example, a task requiring greater physical and/ormentaleffortwouldneedalongertotalbreaktimepershift;

• Thelengthofshiftsworked;thelongertheshift,thelongerthetotalbreaktimerequiredpershift;

• Afacilityforresting;

-Provideanddesignateproperfacilityforemployeestorest.

-Thefacilityshouldbeconducivetorest/sleep(e.g.clean,dimlighting,quiet,andtemperatureoftheroom).

• Includepowernap2ofatleast20minutesandatmost30minutestoavoidfallingintothedeeperstagesofsleep;

• Avoidsafetycriticalworkimmediatelyafteranaptoavoidadversesleepinertiaeffects.

• Includeactivitybreaks.Forexample,certainworkactivitiescanbemonotonousandrequireapersontostandorsitinafixedpositionforextendedperiodsoftime:

- Includeshortperiodofexercise,forexample,stretchingofthelimbsandbody,toprovidea short term boost to alertness, mainly due to the change in posture of the affectedpersons;and

- Encourageemployeestotakescheduledbreakstorelievefatigueduetomonotonyoftask.

ManualTasksManualtasksareworkplaceactivitiesthatrequiretheuseofforceorexertionbyapersonsuchastolift,pushorpullanobject/load.Examplesincludemanualhandlingofheavyloads,retrievalofitemsfromshelving,andstackingofitems.Theprolongedperformanceofrepetitivetasks,withoutadequatechanceofrestandrecovery,mayresultinanoccupationalinjury.

Theriskofamusculoskeletalinjuryoccurringmayalsobeincreasedwithextendedshiftsduetothecumulativeeffectsofmusclefatigue,strainsandsprains.Twelvehoursshiftsincreasetheriskofinjuryoccurring.Ingeneral,workersinvolvedinrepetitivemanualtasksshouldhaveregularbreaks.

• Ensureadequatemanpowertoavoidexcessivedemandsandoverloadingonemployees;

• Increasesupervisionduringperiodoflowlevelofalertness;and

• Encourageinteractionamongemployeestomaintainalertness.

2Powernapisashortdurationofsleepofabout20minutesto30minutes.

3.2 FatigueManagementTechniques3.2.1 MeasurementofFatigueBothquantitativeandqualitativemeasurementscanassesswhetherfatigueisprevalentintheworkplace.

Quantitativemeasurementexamplesinclude:

• Medicalleaverecords;

• Staffturnoverrecords;and

• Incidentsrelatingtoeffectsoffatigue.

Table 1: Indicators for Determining Level of Fatigue.

Qualitativemeasurementthroughmanagementandemployeesconsultation.Examplesinclude:

• Employeesurveys;

• Focusgroups;and

• Exitinterviews.

Question Guidelines

Howlonghaveyoukeptyourselfawake?

Thelongerapersonstaysawake,thedeepertheextentoffatigue.Generally,performancebeginstodeteriorategreatlyafter18-20hrsofcontinuouswakefulness.

Howlonghaveyouworkedwithouttakingabreak?

Workingshiftsthatarelongerthaneightorninehourscanresultinanincreasedprobabilityofhavingaccidentsormakingerrors.

Howmuchsleephaveyoutakenthepreviousnight?

Mostpeoplerequireabout8hoursofsleepevery24hoursforoptimumalertnessandperformance.Researchhasshownthatjust2hoursofsleeplossproducesthesamesedativeeffectasconsuming0.54g/kgofethanol(2-3bottlesofbeer(12-oz)).Likewise,4hoursofsleeplossresultsineffectssimilartoconsumptionof1.0g/kgofethanol(5-6bottlesofbeer).

Wasthesleepofgoodquality,orweretheredisturbances?

Disruptionsduringsleepreducetherestorativeeffectsofthesleep.Thepresenceofbrightlightcanalsodisruptsleep.

18 19

Question Guidelines

Howlonghaveyoukeptyourselfawake?

Thelongerapersonstaysawake,thedeepertheextentoffatigue.Generally,performancebeginstodeteriorategreatlyafter18-20hrsofcontinuouswakefulness.

Howlonghaveyouworkedwithouttakingabreak?

Workingshiftsthatarelongerthan8or9hourscanresultinanincreasedprobabilityofhavingaccidentsormakingerrors.

Howmuchsleephaveyoutakenthepreviousnight?

Mostpeoplerequireabouteighthoursofsleepevery24hoursforoptimumalertnessandperformance.Researchhasshownthatjusttwohoursofsleeplossproducesthesamesedativeeffectasconsuming0.54g/kgofethanol(twotothreebottlesofbeer(12-oz)).Likewise,fourhoursofsleeplossresultsineffectssimilartoconsumptionof1.0g/kgofethanol(5-6bottlesofbeer).

Wasthesleepofgoodquality,orweretheredisturbances?

Disruptionsduringsleepreducetherestorativeeffectsofthesleep.Thepresenceofbrightlightcanalsodisruptsleep.

Table 2: Questions and Guidelines to Determine the Onset of Fatigue.

3.3 ExamplesofFatigueManagementTechnologiesFatigueCalculatorThefatiguecalculator(refertoFigure5)isusedtopre-assessthefatiguelevelsatanygivenpointintheday. Whenusedatthebeginningofashift, itwilldetermineaperson’sabilitytoworkbeforefatigueriskbecomesunacceptable.Ithelpstoprovideameanstoplanandminimisetheeffectsoffatiguerisktoproductionorthetaskathand.

Thefatiguecalculatorcanalsobeusedtodeterminethedurationanemployeeisabletocontinueworkingbeforetherestrictedriskscoreisreached.Forexample,ifauserweretoobtainahighriskscoreworkinguntil6pm,hecouldutilisethefunctionsofthecalculatortodeterminewhenthescorewoulddroptomediumthentolow.

Figure 6: Driver State Sensor.

MeasuresofDriver’sEyelidOpeningThe driver state sensor (see Figure 6), is installed in thevehicletomeasuresthedriver’seyelidopening.Thesystemusesthisdatatodeterminethepresenceoronsetoffatigue.It also measures head orientation, providing informationon distraction. Eyelid closure information is processed todeterminethelevelofdriverfatigue,andbytrackingheadmovement,thesensorisabletodetectdriver’sdistraction.

On-boardCrewRestFacilitiesLong-haulflightoperationscaninvolveextraflightcrewtorotatethroughflightdeckdutieswhenflying longhours.Theseaircraftsaregenerallyequippedwithon-boardrestfacilities to allow covering flight crew to sleep while theactiveflightcrewaremanningtheflight.

TheAlertnessWarningSystemThe flight deck computer system is another designed-infactor. As aviation operations become highly automated,the human operator becomes passive or less active inmonitoringthesystem.Oneexampleofusingtechnologyto address fatigue issue is an alertness warning systemin some commercial aircrafts. This system alerts theflight crew when no interaction with the flight deckcomputers occurred within a certain time period. After apredeterminedintervalofnoresponse,thesignalintensityis increased automatically to initiate a response. Thissystem is in operation on several long-haul aircrafts, andflightcrewshavereportedsuccessinusingit.

Figure 5: Fatigue Calculator.

20 21

Factors Checklist Yes No Actions

Driver Driverisqualifiedtodriveandfamiliarwiththeclassofvehicle?

Driverhasnotrackrecordoftrafficaccidentforthepastthreeyears?

Driverhasnotexceededsixhoursofcontinuousdrivingwithoutbreaks?

Frequencyanddurationofbreaktimearesufficient?

Driverisnotundermedicationthatcausesdrowsiness.

Driverhasbeenmadeawareandtrainedonmanagingfatigue?

Schedule Workscheduleresultsinnomorethanextendedworkhours(ofmorethan12hours)?

Highriskworkactivitiesarenotperformedatlowbodyclocks(between2amand6am)?

Restingfacilitiesareprovided?

Breaktimeisincluded?

Frequencyanddurationofbreaktimesareadequate(20minutesto30minutes)?

Workscheduleisappropriatelyscheduledtoavoidtimepressedtocompletedeliveries?

Environment Workingenvironmentisnotatextremeconditions,e.g.hotorhumid?

The Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) is a systematic process for managingworkplacesafetyandhealth.

The SHMS provides for goal setting, planning and measuring performance. It sets out clearmanagementcommitments,directionandapproachesforworkplacesafetyandhealth.Safetyandhealthmanagementaddsvaluetobusinessesbyhelpingtoimproveoverallperformance.

IntegraltotheSHMSistheriskmanagement.RiskManagementisakeycomponenttoreducerisks at source. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, risk management duties areimposedoneveryemployer,self-employedpersonandprincipal(includingcontractorandsub-contractor)totakeallreasonablypracticablemeasurestoensurethattheworkplaceissafefortheemployees.RiskManagementincludes:

• Conductingriskassessmentonanyworkactivity;

• Controllingandmonitoringofsuchrisks;and

• Communicatingtheseriskstoallpersonsinvolved.

Chapter4:SafetyandHealthManagementSystem

Responsibilitiesbydifferentstafflevels,pleaserefertoAnnexB.

Stepsinriskmanagement,pleaserefertoAnnexB.

FormoreinformationonSHMS,pleasereferto:http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/workplace_safety_and_health/maintaining_a_safe_workplace/occupation_safety.html

4.1 FatigueManagementProgrammeFatiguemanagementprogrammecanbeintegratedaspartoftheorganisationsafetyandhealthmanagementsystem.Afatiguemanagementprogrammehelpstoincreaseawarenesstoissuesoffatigue,identifythehazardsandmanageassociatedsafetyandhealthrisks.

Aneffectivefatiguemanagementprogrammeincludesseveralcomponents.Theprogrammeisdesignedtobeintegratedwithanorganisation’sexistingsafetyandhealthsystem.Asindustriesvary in their specificoperationalcontext, the following list,while notexhaustive,providesanoutlinewhendesigningafatiguemanagementprogramme.

4.1.1 Organisation Roles in Developing and Implementing a FatigueManagementProgrammeOrganisationrolesindevelopingandimplementingafatiguemanagementprogrammecanbedoneby:

• Involvingthemanagementlevels.Theleadershipandcommitmentfrommanagementistheessential foundation for an effective fatigue management programme. A clear safety andhealthpolicystatementcommunicatestheorganisation’ssafetyandhealthobjectivesandhowitseekstoachieveitscommitment.

• Establishingamultidisciplinaryteamapproachtoidentifysafetyandhealthissues,analysetrends,implementcontrolmeasures,evaluateoutcomesandmakerecommendations.

4.1.2 FatigueRiskAssessmentRisk assessment is the fundamental basis in safety and health management. Risk assessmentenables the identification of hazards at the workplace and implementation of effective riskcontrolmeasuresbeforeanyincidentsorinjuriesescalate.Thisincludes:

• Identifyingtherisksassociatedwithfatigue;

• Assessingthelevelofrisk(likelihoodandseverity);

• Implementingthecontrolmeasures;and

• Evaluatingthecontrolmeasures.

RefertoChapters2and3formoredetails.

4.1.3 SafetyInspection/ObservationSupervisorsandemployeescanactivelylookoutforfatigueamongstemployees/colleaguesbyrecognisingthesignsandsymptomsoffatiguewhenperformingobservationrounds.

Table3showsanexampleofapre-workinspectionchecklistthatcanbeusedwhenconductingregular safety and health inspections in the workplace. It can be used to identify potentialhazards,unsafeactsandunsafeconditions,andmonitoranychangesintheworkprocess.

22 23

FactorsChecklist Yes No Actions

Driver Driverisqualifiedtodriveandfamiliarwiththeclassofvehicle?

Driverhasnotrackrecordoftrafficaccidentforthepast3years?

Driverhasnotexceeded6hoursofcontinuousdrivingwithoutbreaks?

Frequencyanddurationofbreaktimearesufficient?

Driverisnotundermedicationthatcausesdrowsiness.

Driverhasbeenmadeawareandtrainedonmanagingfatigue?

Schedule Workscheduleresultsinnomorethanextendedworkhours(ofmorethan12hours)?

Highriskworkactivitiesarenotperformedatlowbodyclocks(between2amand6am)?

Restingfacilitiesareprovided?

Breaktimeisincluded?

Frequencyanddurationofbreaktimesareadequate(20minutesto30minutes)?

Workscheduleisappropriatelyscheduledtoavoidtimepressedtocompletedeliveries?

Environment Workingenvironmentisnotatextremeconditions,e.g.hotorhumid?

Table 3: Example of a Pre-work Inspection Checklist for Vehicular Driving.

4.1.4 FatigueReportingMechanismFatiguereportingmechanismformspartofthebaselineassessmentontheeffectivenessoftheprogramme. Fatigue amongst employees can be identified through consultation or feedbacksessionbetweenemployersandemployees.Communicationcanoccurwhen:

• Theorganisationidentifiesfatigueasoneoftheworkplacehazards;

• Therearechangestoworkschedulesandprocedures;and

• Anincidentornear-missoccurs.

Fatigue-related hazards and incidents should be identified and recorded as part of theorganisation’sincidentreportingprocess.Itisimportanttoensurethat:

• Employeesareencouragedtobeopenaboutreportingfatigue-relatedhazardsandincidents;

• Auditresultsareusedforcontinuousimprovementofthefatiguemanagementprogramme;and

• Information is presented to a fatigue management steering committee, such as theWSHcommittee.

4.1.5 MonitoringFatigueManagementProgrammeThebaselineprofilehelpstodeterminetheprogrammeeffectivenessincontrollingthefatigue-relatedrisksandtoidentifyareasforimprovements.

Identifyindicatorstomeasuretheimpactofcontrolmeasures.Examplesofindicatorsinclude:

• Trendsofincidents/injuriesassociatedwithfatigue;

• Staffturnoverrate;

• Medicalleaverecords;

• Compliancewithcontrolmeasures,suchasengineeringcontrolmeasuresandadministrativecontrolmeasures;

• Trainingrecords;and

• Surveys.

4.1.6 FatigueManagementTrainingPropertraininginworkprocessescanimprovecompetencyoftheemployees.Inturn,thiswillallowthemtoworkmoreeffectively,therebyreducingunnecessaryfatigueandstress.

Inaddition,employeescanbeeducatedonthesymptomsandsignsoffatigue,aswellastheapplicationofthevariousmitigationmethods.

Providetrainingandinformationonfatiguemanagementtoemployees.Arrangementsshouldbe made for shift workers to be included in such training programmes.This can be done byadjustingtheworkschedulesforemployeestoattendtraining.

Training on fatigue management should include the managers, supervisors and employees.Trainingcontentcaninclude:

• Workplacesafetyandhealthresponsibilitiesintheworkplace;

• Thebody’sbiologicalclockanditseffects;

• Riskfactorsassociatedwithonsetoffatigueintheworkplace;

• Recognitionoffatiguesymptoms;

• Controlmeasurestopreventandreducefatigue;

• Individuallifestylemanagementtoreducefatigue;

• Responsibilityofemployeestorestduringtheirrestdays;and

• Fitnessfordutyonrostershifts.

Employersandpersonsconductingabusinessorundertakingshould:

• Providetrainingandinstructionforemployeesandsupervisorsonfatigue.ATrainingNeedsAnalysis(TNA)shouldbedevelopedespeciallyforshiftworkers;and

• Provideadequatesupervisiontoensurethatcontrolmeasuresarebeingadheredtocorrectly.

4.1.7 SafetyandHealthPromotion/CampaignsAfatiguedemployee isathigher risk tohimselfandtoothersaroundhim,and is thereforeadangerintermsofworkplacesafetyandhealth.Fatigue-relatedinformationandpracticesneedtoberefreshedinthemindsofemployeesfromtimetotime;otherwise,theimpactmaybelostovertimeduetothepracticesbecomingroutine.Employeesmaysimplycarryoutthepracticesthat are meant to counter fatigue without understanding or remembering the intention orpurposeofsuchpractices.Theymaythenovertimedecidetostopsuchpracticesorforgetthemaltogether.

Therefore,asafetyandhealthpromotionorcampaignshouldincludethefatiguetopicaspartoftheprogrammetopromotesafetyandhealthintheworkplace.

24 25

Possibletopicsinclude:

• Recognitionoffatiguesymptoms.Informationonrecognisingthesymptomsoffatiguecanhelppreventincidentsduetofatiguedemployeesoravertundesirablehealtheffects.

• Importanceofhealthypersonalhabits.

• Qualityofsleep.Havinggoodsleephabit,balancednutritionandregularexercise.

• Tipstomanagefatigue.

TipstoManageFatigueIndividualfactorsplayapart ineffectivefatiguemitigationorminimisation.Thefollowingaresomegoodpersonalpracticestoavoidfatigueduringwork.

TipstoOptimiseSleepOpportunities• Ensuresevenhourstoeighthoursofuninterruptedsleepby:

- Choosingaquietplacetosleep;and

- Darkeningtheroomandallowingmoretimethannormaltofallasleep.

• Wakeupandgotobedatthesametimeeverydaytoavoidcircadiandisruptions.

• Keepthesleepenvironmentcool(approximately26oC).

• Movethealarmclockoutofsighttoprevent‘clockwatching’.

• Avoidusingalcoholasasleepaid.Eventhoughalcoholwillinducedrowsiness,thequalityofsleepwillbepoor.

• Avoidcigarettesorothersourcesofnicotinejustbeforebedtime.

• Dosomethingrelaxinguntilthereissleepinessifsleepdoesnotcomewithin30minutes.

• Allowsometimetorecoverfromthe“groggy”stateafterwakingup.Forexample:

- Doingmoderateexercisessuchaswalkingorjumpingupanddown;and

- Startingaconversationwithsomeone.

TipsonDietManagementDigestiveproblemsarecommoninshiftworkersduetodisruptionofthebody’sbiologicalclockandpoordiet.Thefollowingcanhelptoimprovethesituation:

• Haveregularlightmeals/snacksratherthanasingleheavymeal.

• Choosefoodsthatareeasytodigestsuchaspasta,rice,bread,salad,fruit,vegetablesandmilkproducts.Thisisespeciallyusefulifthereisapressingneedtohavesomefoodbeforesleeptoavoidsignificanthunger.

• Avoidfatty,spicyand/orheavymealsasthesearemoredifficulttodigest.Theycanmakeyoufeeldrowsywhenyouneedtobealert.Theymayalsodisturbsleepwhenyouneedtorest.

• Avoidsugaryfoodssuchaschocolate.Theyprovideashort-termenergyboostfollowedbyadipinenergylevels.

• Choosefruitsassnacksastheirsugarisconvertedintoenergyrelativelyslowly,andtheyalsoprovidevitamins,mineralsandfibre.

• Drinkplentyoffluidasdehydrationcanreducebothphysicalandmentalperformance.Avoiddrinkingtoomuchfluidbeforesleepingasthismayoverloadthebladder.

• Avoidcaffeinateddrinksintheafternoons/evenings.

AdoptanExerciseRegime• Improvefitnessbyspending30minutesadayonaphysicalactivity.Regularphysicalexercise

wouldimproveoverallhealth.

TipstoImproveAlertnessatWork• Performmoderateexercisebeforestartingworktohelpincreasealertnessduringtheshift.

• Takescheduledbreaksduringtheshift.

• Interact/talkwithco-workers.

ReachingHomeSafelyafterWorkItisimportanttonotethestateoffatigueafterworkonthejourneyhome.Forexample:

• Take enough rest before driving. If there is a need to rest along the way, ensure that thevehicleisparkedinasafelocation.

• Takepublictransportiffeelingseverelyfatigued.

DrugsandAlcohol• Seekmedicaladviceifregularmedicationisrequired.

• Avoidexcessiveconsumptionofalcoholasitaffectsthequalityofsleep.

• Avoidstimulantssuchascaffeinateddrinks,forexample,coffee/teaastheydelaysleep.

MedicalConditions• Seekmedicaladviceforexcessivesnoring,irregularheartbeatandinsomnia.

• Seekmedicaladviceforanalternativemedicationifcurrentmedicationcausesdrowsinesswhileatwork.

4.1.8.ManagementReviewThe facility’s top management should review the fatigue management programme to ensureits continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. Such reviews should be conducted atintervals(e.g.quarterlyorannually)setbythemanagementandofdurationsuitableforthetypeoffacility.Managementreviewoftheprogrammeshouldinclude:

• Frequencyofreview;

• Reviewdates;

• Management’scommitmenttoconductthereviewsasscheduled;

• Mechanismforfeedbackinvolvingallaffectedpersonnel;and

• Reviewofidentifiedindicatorstomonitoreffectivenessoftheprogramme.

4.1.9.DocumentationandReviewofFatigueManagementProgrammeThereshouldbeasystemforthedocumentationandregularreviewoftheworkplacesafetyandhealthmanagementprogramme.Thisistofacilitatetheretrievalofrelevantdocumentsandtoensurethattheprogrammeremainsrelevantandeffective.Allrevisionstothesafetyandhealthmanualshouldbedatedandendorsedbyauthorisedpersonnel.Recommendationsthatresultfromsuchreviewsshouldbeconsideredandimplementedwhereverpossible.

Fatigue-relatedincidentsshouldberecordedandinvestigated.AproperRiskAssessmentreview

26 27

Contributors

Name Organisation

Chairman MrTeoWoonHun SingaporeLogisticsAssociation

Members

DrBertrandChew SingaporeDentalAssociation

DrKennethChoy MinistryofManpower

MsAnnieGan JianHuangConstructionCoPteLtd

DrJarnailSingh CivilAviationAuthorityofSingapore

DrLimKeeYong HumanCenteredAnalysis&DesignPteLtd

MrLimNianHua SingaporeTechnologyMarineLimited

MrRogerLim SeagateTechnologyInternational

ErLimSuiSoon Cameron(Singapore)Pte.Ltd

DrTeyLianKheng,Frederick DSONationalLaboratories

MsJennieYeo BuildingConstructionandTimberIndustriesEmployees’Union

Facilitators

MrMorrisHiang WorkplaceSafetyandHealthCouncil

MsMoonLoh WorkplaceSafetyandHealthCouncil

must be conducted as part of the investigation to identify and address potential gaps in theprocesses.Suchrecordsshouldbetabledfordiscussionaspartoftheorganisation’smanagementreview.

ExampleofaFatigueManagementProgrammechecklist,pleaserefertoAnnexC.

Acknowledgements

WewouldliketothankJianHuangConstructionCoPteLtdfortheirassistanceinprovidingthecoverphotoforthispublication.

AllpicturesusedforillustrativepurposesintheGuidelinesarereproducedwiththecourtesyof:

• MBSolutions(Aust)PtyLtd.

• SeeingMachinesLtd.

28 29

AnnexBWorkplaceSafetyandHealthManagementSystem

ManagementMembersofthemanagementmustbemadeawareoftheeffectsoffatigueintheworkplaceonproductivity,costs,andsafety.Managerswillthenbeabletobetterunderstandtheimportanceandmagnitudeoffatiguemanagement.Fatiguedemployeesareneithereffectiveintheirworknorcapableincarryingoutworksafely.

Themanagementcanreducethefatigueriskbydesigningjobsorworkprocessesthatdonotimpose excessive stresses, and allowing employees to take breaks. Management should alsohaveanopencommunicationchannelforemployeestoreportfatiguesituations.Forexample,employersareencouragedtodevelopandimplementacomprehensiveWorkplaceSafetyandHealthmanagementprogrammetoestablishasafeandhealthyworkingenvironmentsoastopreventworkplaceaccidentsandwork-relatedillnesses.

SupervisorsThemainroleofsupervisorsistoprovidecloseanddirectsupervisionofthetasksperformedbytheemployeesunderthem.Therefore,knowledgeofthesymptomsoffatigueisparticularlyimportanttosupervisorssothattheycandetectfatigueamongsttheiremployees,andcarryoutcountermeasurestopreventpotentiallyunsafework.

EmployersResponsibilitiesofemployersinclude:

• Developingandimplementinganeffectiveworkplacesafetyandhealthprogramme;

• Informingallstaffofworkplacehazardsandensuringthatworkplacesafetyandhealthrules,trainingschedulesandsafeworkproceduresarefollowed;

• Providingadequatetraining;

• Providingproperequipmentincludingpersonalprotectiveequipment;

• Providingwelfarefacilitiessuchasrestareas;

• Providingfirstaidboxes;and

• Documenting the workplace safety and health policy and keeping records of all reportedaccidents,incidentsanddiseases.

EmployeesItisimportanttohighlightthattheresponsibilityforfightingfatiguebelongstoeveryoneattheworkplace.Employeesmustalsodotheirpartbyensuringthattheyusetimeawayfromworkproperly-ofparticularimportanceisensuringthattheygetenoughsleep.

AnnexAExampleofaRiskAssessment(HazardsandControlMeasuresListedareNotExhaustive)

RISKASSESSMENTFORM(Example)

Company ABCLogisticPteLtd Conductedby:(Names,designations) MonicaLiao,Supervisor

Process/Location Transportationandlogistic

Approvedby:(Name,designation) TeoKitHan,ManagingDirector Conductedon:4Aug2009

LastReviewDate:6Aug2009Approvedon:6August2009NextReviewDate:6August2012

1.HazardIdentification 2.RiskEvaluation 3.RiskControl

No. WorkActivity Hazard PossibleAccidents/IllHealth&Persons-at-Risk

ExistingRiskControl(ifany)

Like

lihoo

d

Seve

rity

Risk

Lev

el

AdditionalRiskControls ActionOfficer,Designation(Date)

1. Drivingwithinworkplacepremise.

• Poorlightingofdrivingroute.

• Lengthofshiftexceeding12hours.

• Consecutivenightshifts.

Possibleinjurytootherroadusersanddrivers.

• Improvedlightingcondition.

• Increasedsupervision.

• Observedspeedlimitbyhavingsignageofspeedlimit.

• Designatedfootpath. Rem

ote

Maj

or

Med

ium

Ris

k

• Activitybreaks.

• Designatedfacilityforrest.

• Buddysystem.

• Workschedulingtoavoidconsecutivenightshiftsandtolimitshiftworktonotmorethan12hours,includingovertime.

• Fatigueawarenessandtraining.

TransportManager(30Aug2009)

2. Loadingandunloadingofgoodsfromtrucks.

• Hotweather.

• Heavyloads.

Possiblemusculoskeletalinjuriestomaterialmanagementstaff.

Sheltersatloading/unloadingbaytoshieldthesun.

Freq

uent

Mod

erat

e

Hig

hRi

sk

• Activitybreaks.

• Designatedfacilityforresting.

• Usepalletjacksandtrolleystoliftheavygoods.

MaterialsManagementManager(30Aug2009)

3. Transportinga20-footcontainer.

• Extendedshiftworkofmorethan12hours.

• Onshiftfor4consecutivenights.

Possibleinjurytootherroadusersanddrivers.

Workschedulingtoavoidconsecutivenightshifts/longworkinghours.

Rem

ote

Maj

or

Med

ium

Ris

k • Fatigueawarenessandtraining.

• Activitybreaks.

TransportManager(30Aug2009)

30 31

S/N Elements Questions Yes No Remarks

1 Organisationrolesindevelopingandimplementingafatiguemanagementprogramme

Isthereapolicystatementthatreflectsthemanagement’scommitmenttofatiguemanagement?

Isthereateamapproachtomanagetheriskoffatigue?Forexample,adoptmultidisciplinaryapproachthroughengagingmanagement,supervisorsandemployees.

Aretherestrategiestocommunicatetheimportanceoffatiguemanagementtoallemployees?Forexamples,meetings;noticeboards;emails.

2 Fatigueriskassessments

Hastheorganisationidentifiedthetypesoffatigue-relatedhazards?Forexamples,poorworkschedulingandplanning;Insufficientrecoverytimebetweenshifts.

Hastheorganisationidentifiedandassessedfatiguerisks?Forexample,areworkinghoursauditedandreviewedtoeliminateexcessivelongworkhoursandinappropriateshiftworkbyemployees?

Aretheremeasurestocontrolfatiguerisks?Forexamples,changestoworkenvironmenttoprovideadequateventilation;changestoworkscheduletolimitshiftworktonotmorethan12hoursincludingovertime.

3 Safetyinspection/observation

Hasrecognitionofthesignsoffatiguebeenincorporatedinroutinesafetyinspection/observationrounds?

Istherepre-workchecklistbeforeworkcommencementtoidentifyfatigue?

4 Fatiguereportingmechanism

Aretherechannelsforemployees’consultationandfeedback?Forexamples,meetings;face-to-face;focusgroupsessions.

Isfatiguereportingincludedintheorganisationincidentreportingprocess?

Hasincidentreportsbeendocumented?

5 Monitoringfatiguemanagementprogramme

Istheorganisationmonitoringtheeffectivenessoftheprogramme?Forexamples,trendsofincidents/injuriesassociatedwithfatigue;compliancewithcontrolmeasures,suchasengineeringcontrolmeasuresandadministrativecontrolmeasures;trainingrecords;surveys.

6 Fatiguemanagementtraining

Hastheorganisationincludefatiguemanagementaspartofitssafetyandhealthtraining?

Aretherearrangementsmadeforshiftworkerstobeincludedinsuchtrainingprogrammes?Forexample,adjustingtheworkschedulesforemployeestoattendtraining.

Aretrainingrecordsdocumented?

Aretheremeasurestomonitoreffectivenessoftrainingcontent?Forexample,trainingevaluations.

7 Safetypromotion/campaigns

Isfatigueincludedasatopicinsafetypromotionorcampaigntoraiseawareness?

8 Managementreview


Aremanagementreviewsdocumented?

9 Documentationandreviewofworkplacesafetyandhealthmanagementprogramme

Isthereasystemforthedocumentationandregularreviewofthefatiguemanagementprogramme?

Arerevisionsdatedandendorsedbyauthorisedpersonnel?

RiskManagementThestepsinariskmanagementexercisearesummarisedintheflowchartbelow:

UsefulGuidesforRiskManagementcanbefoundinUsefulGuidesforRiskManagementcanbefoundinhttp://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/etc/medialib/mom_library/Workplace_Safety/files2.Par.18078.File.tmp/RiskAssessmentGuidelines.pdf

• GuidetoWorkplaceSafetyandHealth(RiskManagement)Regulations

• QuickGuidetoRiskAssessment

• RiskAssessmentGuidelines

• ActivityBasedRiskAssessmentForm

• TradeBasedRiskAssessmentForm

Selectactivitiesandequipmentforanalysis

Identifythehazardsinvolved

Assessthehazardsandriskinvolved

Implementmeasurestocontrolthehazards

Evaluateeffectivenessofcontrolmeasuresandrecordfindings

AnnexCExampleofaFatigueManagementProgrammeChecklistThechecklistisintendedtoassistorganisationinassessingitsFatigueManagementProgramme.

(Thefollowingchecklistservesasagenericguideandnotindustry-specific).


1 Organisationrolesindevelopingandimplementingafatiguemanagementprogramme




2 Fatigueriskassessments




3 Safetyinspection/observation



4 Fatiguereportingmechanism











7Safetypromotion/campaigns


8

Managementreview



9

Documentationandreviewofworkplacesafetyandhealthmanagementprogramme



32 33


1

Organisationrolesindevelopingandimplementingafatiguemanagementprogramme




2

Fatigueriskassessments




3

Safetyinspection/observation



4

Fatiguereportingmechanism











7 Safetypromotion/campaigns


8 Managementreview

Isthereamanagementreviewprocesstoensuretheprogrammecontinuingsuitability,adequacyandeffectiveness?Forexample,establishedfrequencyofreview.


9 Documentationandreviewofworkplacesafetyandhealthmanagementprogramme



References

1. Fatiguepreventionintheworkplace.EditionNo1June2008.WorksafeVictoria,WorkcoverNewSouthWales.

http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/WorkSafe/Home/Forms+and+Publications/Publications/Fatigue+prevention+in+the+workplace

2. Managingfatigueintheworkplace.Aguideforoilandgasindustrysupervisorsandoccupationalhealthpractitioners.OPG/IPIECA.2007.London.

http://www.ipieca.org/activities/health/downloads/publications/fatigue.pdf

3. JohnA.Caldwelletal.January2009.FatigueCounterMeasuresinAviation.Aviation,SpaceandEnvironmentalMedicine.Vol.80,No.1.

4. Managingshiftworktominimiseworkplacefatigue:Aguideforemployers.DeptofLabour.Wellington.

http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/publications/booklets/shiftwork-fatigue2007/managing-shiftwork-fatigue-employers-07.pdf

5. OvertimeandExtendedWorkShifts:RecentFindingsonIllnesses,Injuries,andHealthBehaviors.CDC,WorkplaceSafetyandHealth,NIOSH.April2004.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-143/pdfs/2004-143.pdf

6. AGuidetotheWorkplaceSafetyandHealthAct,MinistryofManpower,Singapore. http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/legislation/Occupational_Safety_and_

Health/workplace_safety_and.html

7. AGuidetotheWorkplaceSafetyandHealth(RiskManagement)Regulations,MinistryofManpower,Singapore.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/legislation/Occupational_Safety_and_Health/workplace_safety_and/workplace_safety_and0.html

8. WorkplaceSafetyandHealth.RiskManagement:RiskAssessmentGuidelines.MinistryofManpower,Singapore.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/workplace_safety_and_health/maintaining_a_safe_workplace/occupation_safety/risk_management.html

9. TheEmploymentAct.MinistryofManpower.Singapore. http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/workplace_standards/

employment_standards/the_employment_act.html

10. SafetyandHealthManagementSystem.MinistryofManpower.Singapore. http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/workplace_safety_and_

health/maintaining_a_safe_workplace/occupation_safety.html

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11. SingaporeStatutesOnline.EmploymentAct. http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_gettoc.pl?actno=1968-REVED-

91&doctitle=EMPLOYMENT%20ACT%0A&date=latest&method=part

12. LessonsLearntCaseReport.FatigueAttributedtotheDeathofaPrimeMoverDriver.WorkplaceSafetyandHealthCouncil.

http://app.wshc.gov.sg/cms/Portals/0/LLCR_007.pdf

13. CanadianCentreforOccupationalHealthandSafety.Hotenvironments–ControlMeasures.http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/heat_control.html

14. ImprovingAlertnessthroughEffectiveFatigueManagement,EnergyInstitute,London.http://www2.energyinstpubs.org.uk/tfiles/1258356141/632.pdf

15. CircadianPatternsofTypicalHuman. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Biological_clock_human.PNG

Contact Information• Forenquiries,pleaseemailtheWSHCouncilat:[email protected]

• Toreportunsafepracticesatworkplaces,pleasecalltheMOMhotlineat63171111.

• Toreportaccidents,dangerousoccurrencesandoccupationaldiseases,visit www.mom.gov.sg/ireport

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Published in January 2010 by the Workplace Safety and Health Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower.

Allrightsreserved.Thispublicationmaynotbereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,inwholeorinpart,withoutpriorwrittenpermission.Theinformationprovidedinthispublicationisaccurateasattimeofprinting.Allcasessharedinthispublicationaremeantforlearningpurposesonly.Thelearningpointsforeachcasearenotexhaustiveandshouldnotbetakentoencapsulatealltheresponsibilitiesandobligationsoftheuserofthispublicationunderthelaw.TheWorkplaceSafetyandHealthCouncildoesnotacceptanyliabilityorresponsibilitytoanypartyforlossesordamagearisingfromfollowingthispublication.

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