Fatigue

Fatigue is more than feeling tired and drowsy. It is a state of physical, mental and/or emotional exhaustion that reduces a person’s ability to perform work safely and effectively.

Fatigue may include:

• physical exhaustion due to work that involves high physical demands or poor environmental work conditions
• mental exhaustion due to work that involves high mental or cognitive demands
• emotional exhaustion due to work that work involves high emotional demands.

Examples of work factors that may lead to fatigue include:

• unpredictable time arrangements, irregular hours, long work hours and roster cycles and shift lengths that do not allow adequate time for sleep and recovery
• performing emotional labour or providing emotional support
• high cognitive demands, such as sustained concentration and extended work hours
• roster cycle or shift length
• high workload and/or working overtime
• limited ability to self-advocate
• environmental stressors such as light, noise, climate or vibration
• design, quality and management practices for accommodation facilities that compromise the amount and quality of sleep and rest.

Fatigue can be influenced by activities beyond work tasks and is not exclusively caused by work-related activities.

Effects of fatigue

Fatigue is a contributing factor to accidents, injuries and fatalities across various workplace environments as workers who are tired and/or work irregular hours are less likely to perform tasks safely. The effects of fatigue, such as slowed responses, inattention or failure to control inappropriate actions, have been identified as factors in workplace accidents.

Managing the risks of fatigue

Everyone in the workplace can contribute to a safer, healthier and more productive workplace by investing in health and safety strategies and practices to mitigate the risks associated with fatigue.

Resources on fatigue

• Guide for managing the risk of fatigue at work - Safe Work Australia
• Fatigue Management -a worker’s guide - Safe Work Australia

References

• Theron W.J. and van Herden G.M.J. (2011) Fatigue knowledge - a new lever in safety management, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, accessed 10 October 2024
• Paterson J.L. et al (2015) Occupational fatigue and other health and safety issues for young Australian workers: an exploratory mixed methods study, J-Stage, accessed 10 October 2024
• Williamson A. et al (2011) The link between fatigue and safety, Science Direct, accessed 10 October 2024