14.7 Fatigue
Fatigue is mental or physical exhaustion that stops a person from functioning normally. Although fatigue is mainly caused by a lack of sleep, a person may also become fatigued through prolonged periods of physical or mental effort, without enough time to rest and recover. The level of fatigue varies, and depends on the following:
- workload;
- length of the shift;
- previous hours and days worked;
- time of day or night worked; and
- driving time required to get to a job.
Fatigue has an adverse effect on every aspect of human performance. High levels of fatigue can cause reduced performance and productivity at work, and increase the risk of accidents and injuries occurring. Fatigue can affect the ability to think clearly, which is vital when making safety-related decisions and judgements. Persons working in a fatigued state may place themselves and others at risk. The most common effects associated with fatigue are:
- desire to sleep;
- lack of concentration;
- impaired recollection of timing and events;
- irritability;
- poor judgement;
- reduced capacity for interpersonal communication;
- reduced hand-eye coordination;
- reduced visual perception;
- reduced vigilance; and
- slower reaction times.
14.7.1 Managing fatigue
Managing fatigue is a shared responsibility between employers and their workers, as it involves factors both inside and outside of work. Workers are required to ensure that they make appropriate use of their rest days, and are fit for duty on rostered shifts.
For further information on managing fatigue, refer to the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland publication - Fatigue Management Guide.
Last updated 21 August 2008