Fatigue Management Risk Assessment Tool

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Research indicates that working 12 hours per day is associated with a 37% increased risk of injury.

At Predictive Safety, we believe that risk can be measured, safety can be quantified, and hazards can be managed and mitigated. Our fatigue management system, PRISM works with our patented AlertMeter® impairment assessment software to provide safety-sensitive companies with a reliable, objective, cost-effect tool to assess real-time impairment and fatigue, and in some cases, can also provide an innovative, cost-saving, and more effective, alternative to drug testing.

Fatigue Risk Management System Tools

Safety Specialist, Global Aerospace, Inc.

Here are several links to tools and discussions related to Fatigue Risk Management. Included on the site is a Return On Investment calculator. www.mxfatigue.com

Here is a link to Transport Canadas FRMS toolbox. It provides good baseline discussions in PDF formats that can be used to build your training programs.

The International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations Fatigue Risk Management System Implementation Guide for Operators is an excellent reference for anyone contemplating the development of a formal FRMS.

Here is a link to a comprehensive set of Dr. Mark Rosekinds presentations relating to fatigue awareness and fatigue risk management. Dr. Rosekind is a Member of the NTSB and a leading researcher in the field of Fatigue management.

Fatigue Risk Management Systems: Implementation Guide for Operators

Fatigue Inventory Refinement Through Oge Worker Focus Group

Eleven OGE workers refined the inventory for OGE relevance and language. In this phase, all 39 items were kept. Feedback from the focus group was used to reword questions for better comprehension, which is expected to allow workers to accurately respond to questions. The workers agreed that all 39 items were relevant to OGE operations. However, they suggested that a few items be reworded. For example, the item âTo what degree do your joints feel achy?â was changed to âTo what extent do your joints feel stiff or achy?â Another example included changing the item âTo what degree do you experience tense muscles?â to âTo what extent do you experience stiff muscles?â

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The 1st Step To Fatigue Risk Management: Education

Education is clearly the first step in any type of program that challenges daily habits that may be unsafe or unproductive uproots harmful cultural beliefs and influences a more positive workplace culture.

Before implementing a fatigue risk management system, it is critical that everyone in the workplace understands the meaning of workplace fatigue. The way the word fatigue is used in day-to-day life does not inspire a full appreciation of the wide variety of factors that contribute to workplace fatigue the severity of the damages it inflicts on workplaces each year and the way it impacts the lives of dedicated shift-workers everywhere.

How To Prepare An Afm Application

The AFM application toolkit has been developed as a series of tools, booklets and templates to step you through the entire process of applying for AFM. By following the toolkit you will be guided through collecting the right information and preparing your application for the NHVR.

If you are considering applying for AFM you should assess your proposed work and rest arrangements by using the Fatigue Risk Assessment Tool. Doing this will give you a greater understanding of the high and low risk areas within your proposal and may assist you in developing suitable countermeasures.

You should prepare a safety case that describes how the fatigue risks are managed by the business practices described in your fatigue management system. You always have the option to amend your approved hours if your circumstances change.

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What Is The Circadian Rhythm

One of the major factors contributing to worker fatigue particularly related to shift-work is the disruption of the circadian rhythm. The human biological system operates on an internal clock in which different functions run on different cycle lengths. The circadian rhythm, for example, is a rhythm that cycles approximately every 24 hours, with various functions either rising or falling at various times throughout the 24-hour period.

For example, high body temperature and heart rate are associated with increased alertness and performance and occur during daylight hours. Sleep, on the other hand, is associated with a lowering of body temperature, heart rate, and cortisol, which decrease in the evening, then rise in the morning before we awaken.

The physiological tendency to sleep at night and to be awake during the day is powerful difficulties occur when work-time arrangements cause individuals to work against this tendency. Altering the normal sleep/wake cycle affects both the ability to remain alert and the ability to sleep. Non-traditional work hours create a misalignment between the internal clock on the normal activity and sleep schedule.

Shift workers circadian rhythm is out of step with the environment, and no matter how hard they try, they will always struggle to adjust to new work-and-rest schedules.

These shift assessments measure the impact of factors like:

Control The Risks By Taking Action To Eliminate Or Reduce Them

The most effective control is to address the task of driving by using journey management. Start by asking whether the trip has to be done.

If driving is essential, consider redesigning it through scheduling. For example, drivers might work at their desk in the morning and head out on the road right after lunch. If they are more fatigued after eating, it would be better to drive in the morning and shift desk work to the afternoon.

If thats not possible, build in a break, nap, coffee, or other rest before they get behind the wheel. Keep in mind that drivers need breaks at least every 2 hours to get fresh air, stretch their limbs, and re-hydrate.

Once you have reviewed journey management and scheduling, look to improve the driving environment. Instruct drivers to adjust their vehicle for the best visibility and to help them stay alert. Educate and train them to understand how driving ergonomics and optimizing their driving workspace can reduce fatigue risk.

Ask drivers for their input in the risk control process. And ask for feedback on the measures youve taken to see if they are working.

Some other ways to reduce driving fatigue risks include:

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Long Work Hours Extended Or Irregular Shifts And Worker Fatigue

Worker fatigue has been studied in aviation and other modes of transportation, the military, emergency response, healthcare, firefighting, law enforcement and other fields. There are several ways that workers and employers can help reduce the hazards of worker fatigue.

What Can Employers Do?

Employers can reduce the risk of worker fatigue in the workplace by:

• Examining staffing issues such as workload, work hours, understaffing and worker absences, scheduled and unscheduled, which can contribute to worker fatigue.
• Arranging schedules to allow frequent opportunities for rest breaks and nighttime sleep.
• Making adjustments to the work environment such as lighting, temperature and physical surroundings to increase alertness.
• Providing worker education and training addressing the hazards of worker fatigue, the symptoms of worker fatigue, the impact of fatigue on health and relationships, adequate quality and quantity of sleep and the importance of diet, exercise and stress management strategies to minimize the adverse effects of fatigue.
• Consider implementing a Fatigue Risk Management Plan under which, like other risk factors, fatigue can be managed.

What is a Fatigue Risk Management Program?

The United States Coast Guard Crew Endurance Management Practices Guide outlines a program for controlling risk factors that affect crew member performance and shipboard safety in the commercial maritime industry.

Reviewfatigue Measures And Risk Assessment Tools For First Responder Fatigue Risk Management: A Scoping Review With Considerations Of The Multidimensionality Of Fatigue

A fatigue risk management standard is being developed for Canadian first responders.

Measures and tools were identified and grouped into SOBANE risk assessment strategy.

Identified 60 unique measures and tools for five different dimensions of fatigue.

Provides a starting point for organizations to assess fatigue of any dimension.

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Back To Basics: Creating A Fatigue Risk Management System

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to create a fatigue risk management system.

Worker fatigue is a serious problem that can lead to dangerous work conditions, lower productivity, injuries, and even death.

According to OSHA, employers can reduce the risk of worker fatigue in the workplace by:

• Examining staffing issues such as workload, work hours, understaffing and worker absences
• Arranging schedules to allow frequent opportunities for rest breaks and nighttime sleep
• Adjusting lighting, temperature, and physical surroundings of the work environment to increase alertness
• Providing worker training and education on the hazards and symptoms of worker fatigue, the need for adequate sleep, and the importance of diet, exercise, and stress management
• Consider implementing a fatigue risk management system to help you manage fatigue

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2012 detailing the importance of managing fatigue risk in the workplace. The statement discussed how to establish an FRMS, which may include:

Setting up an FRMS

According to the ACOEM guidance, there are five levels of defense against errors from fatigue:

Recognizing fatigue

Metrics

Fatigue Risk Assessment Tool

• Fatigue Risk Assessment Tool v1.0 – Please note: After downloading and opening this document, you will need to enable macros in order to use the tool.

Use this tool to calculate your risk for each of the seven fatigue risk principles. The tool will also create a safety case template for you to use.

Using the Fatigue Risk Assessment Tool you can see the risk ranking for your particular work schedule in relation to the seven fatigue principles and can determine a risk profile for your entire schedule. You should use this information when deciding what countermeasures are needed for your fatigue management system. Your fatigue management system must conform with the 10 AFM standards and must contain countermeasures to safely manage any fatigue risks.

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Manage The Risks Associated With Fatigue

Until recently, many organisations have been unable to safely manage the level of human fatigue inherent within their operations due to a lack of assessment tools and formal risk controls . However, today there are many approaches available such as fatigue-based scheduling, power nap procedures, alertness measurement devices, loss investigation tools and of course, training related to sleep and alertness management.

A Fatigue Risk Management System includes tools to help companies:

• Determine the organisational risk tolerance level
• Set specific fatigue tolerance levels for selected jobs or tasks
• Use fatigue tolerance levels to identify appropriate controls/procedures for managing fatigue-related risk and ensuring safe job activity
• Record the agreed controls/procedures for organisational use
• Zurich Resilience Solutions has proudly assisted âInterDynamicsâ, âIntegrated Safety Supportâ and âSleepfit Solutionsâ to develop the following fatigue risk management tools:

HAZAIDâ¢: A hazard cataloguing and risk assessment tool used to record the Fatigue Hazard Analysis risk assessment information gathered during workshops. It is highly visual and interactive and is used to ensure a high standard is maintained for information captured during the workshops.

GRAID FRMSâ¢: An interactive fatigue risk grading tool used to rate the adequacy of an organisationâs current and future safeguards by reviewing and prioritising 24 fatigue grading elements and risk factors.

Why Manage Workplace Fatigue

After raising awareness of the factors that cause workplace fatigue the next step is to educate the decision-makers in the organization about why fatigue management is a critical part of company success.

Workplace fatigue results in:

• Increased risk of accidents and injuries
• Impaired worker judgment, an especially disastrous symptom for safety decision-makers
• Reduced worker self-awareness

If your organization offers healthcare benefits and generally takes an interest in the well-being of their workers, the effects of fatigue on an individual level are also worthy of mention:

• Short-term cognitive effects: Impaired memory, concentration, vigilance, reaction time
• Short-term health issues: Increased stress, depression, and reduced immune strength
• Short-term outcomes: Increased absenteeism, presenteeism, burnout, higher incident frequency, increased errors
• Long-term health issues: Digestion problems, heart disease, increased risk of cancer, obesity, and more
• Long-term outcomes: Increased turnover, reduced productivity, increased insurance rates, increased safety costs

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What Is The Cost Of Fatigue

Workplace fatigue awareness has been on the rise ever since fatigue was found to be a contributing factor in incidents like the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Chernobyl disaster, and the Challenger explosion. Many of todays safety-sensitive workplaces recognize the risk, costs, and dangers associated with workplace fatigue. For example, lost productivity due to fatigue is estimated to cost employers $136 billion a year.

However, despite the increased research and awareness of workplace fatigue risk, it continues to go largely unmanaged. The technological solutions required to effectively manage workplace fatigue are still fairly new. This article will identify 4 essential steps in workplace fatigue risk management so that workplaces can better evaluate their fatigue management needs and implement a fatigue risk management system that suits their industry and workplace culture.

A Fatigue Risk Shift Schedule Assessment Gives Managers In Safety

• Reduce the high cost of fatigue-contributed accidents and errors
• Improve overall safety performance
• Enable managers and workers to co-create a culture of safety in which everyone contributes to better and better outcomes
• Reduce fatigue-related costs including the soft costs of worker absenteeism and reduced productivity
• Optimize efficiency

A Fatigue Risk Schedule Assessment includes a review by our fatigue-data analysts of your organizations shift schedules using leading-edge circadian science and our patented PRISM Fatigue Risk algorithm. Then, we compare your shift schedules to shift guidelines derived from the principles of circadian science and validated in high-risk occupational environments.

The analysis includes:

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The 4th Step To Fatigue Risk Management: Monitoring

How Is Fatigue Risk Continuously Managed?

Management is a process, not a goal. To manage any program or system effectively, ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment are required.

The need to measure and maintain holds true for fatigue management.

Ongoing evaluation is necessary to determine whether a program or system remains effective and relevant. Ideally, fatigue management should rely on a balance of leading and lagging indicators.

Two examples of leading indicators are:

• the number of individuals diagnosed with and treated for sleeping disorders
• and the number of individuals who self-report fatigue when at work.

Lagging indicators include:

• You can make shift scheduling more bio-compatible, or more suited to employees circadian rhythms. For example, workers who generally demonstrate higher alertness levels in the evening than others can be scheduled for evening shifts.
• You can reduce fatigue risk during fatigue zones, or circadian ebbs. Fatigue zones are two 4-hour stretches in a 24-hour period, from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at some point during which people often feel tired, before their levels pick up again.

A predictive fatigue risk warning system, such as Predictive Safetys PRISM fatigue management platform, works by calculating fatigue risk according to several inputs:

Fatigue At Work Employer Toolkit

Getting Started

To make the biggest impact, launching the entire kit at once is the most effective strategy. However, if you have limited resources or simply want to test the waters, you can implement individual components over time.

• Developing an Effective Fatigue Risk Management System

Education

Education and training are critical components of a comprehensive fatigue risk management system. This section covers a lot of ground, so consider introducing one safety topic at a time.

For example, focus on drowsy driving for one month. Encourage employees to take the training, open meetings with the drowsy driving safety talk and hang up posters around the workplace for that month before moving onto the next topic.

Posters

• Fatigue Risk Management Online Training with Pulsar Informatics

Policies

These policies provide a step-by-step implementation guide for a comprehensive fatigue risk management system. Policies can be used to structure scheduling practices, tracking the number of hours employees work, and scheduling time off for rest between shifts.

These policy templates are designed to be plug-and-play, ready for your workplace. Choose a general policy template or industry-specific template for the utility, transportation, manufacturing or construction industries. After receiving organizational buy-in for the program, use these policies along with the other resources in this toolkit to implement a fatigue risk management system to help keep employees safer and healthier.

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Employer Tools And Resources

Your employees are a vital asset. Fatigue puts them and all road users — at risk when they drive since its a contributing factor in many crashes. Youre legally responsible for the safety of your employees safety when they drive for work. Small and large businesses can help prevent fatigue-related crashes by taking some basic safety steps.

How Is Fatigue Detected

Understanding the progression of fatigue helps us see why it is so important to focus on measurement before management. While we expect employees to arrive at work at full alertness level, as many employees do, this optimal condition doesnt always happen and may not actually be possible for all workers.

At moderate alertness levels, fatigue begins to negatively impact certain aspects of worker performance.

At reduced alertness levels, fatigue has detrimental effects on worker productivity and safety.

Unfortunately, it is not until the point of failure where fatigue has caused or contributed to an incident or a near miss that we tend to focus on solutions, controls, or other ways to manage fatigue risk.

Each of these factors is quantifiable and able to be measured in our attempt to manage fatigue in the workplace:

• De-synchronization of sleep/work cycle with circadian rhythm: Trying to work when the body is in a sleep cycle or trying to sleep when the body is in an active cycle
• The build-up of sleep debt over sequential shifts: Insufficient sleep between shifts to completely reset sleep debt
• Total hours/shifts worked: Moving the circadian cycle backward increases fatigue risk the insufficient time between shift patternchanges

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