WHS Safety Focus – Fatigue Management
Fatigue can increase the risk of workplace incidents and injuries!
Fatigue can be work-related, due to personal factors, or caused by a combination of these.
Fatigue can feel like: tiredness, low motivation, poor mood, trouble focusing, impaired memory, slower reaction times, and decreased alertness.
Risk factors for fatigue can include:
- Not getting enough sleep, or getting poor quality sleep
- Working shift work, or having irregular shift times
- Having long commutes to and from work
- Engaging in physically demanding work
- Having a personal health condition
Help manage fatigue with the following:
- Aim to get 7 to 9 hours sleep per night and try to maintain regular sleep and wake up times throughout the week (even on weekends).
- Follow up with your GP for advice if you are regularly having trouble sleeping, or if you’re experiencing persistent daytime tiredness.
- Make sure to take breaks throughout the working day (lunch breaks, tea breaks etc.)
- For physically intensive work, rotate between this work and other less demanding tasks.
What’s next?
Talk with your onsite supervisor or your ETC if you are experiencing workplace fatigue.
If you have any WHS questions or concerns, please contact our WHS team.