Let’s Talk Safety

Let’s Talk Safety

#1 Fatigue management – Fatigue needs to be managed.

Think about it

  • Do you sometimes feel tired, forgetful and unable to concentrate while working? These are classic symptoms of fatigue.
  • Fatigue is more than a temporary feeling of weariness or tiredness. It is a persistent lack of energy that does not go away when you rest.
  • You can feel fatigued in both your body and mind.
  • Physical fatigue can be felt as sore muscles and reduced ability to do your normal physical work.
  • Fatigue can also be experienced in your mind. This can be psychological, with changes in your mood and cognitive impacts, where it is difficult to think.
  • Fatigue is linked to reduced productivity and well as errors and omissions. This can lead to incidents resulting in work related illness and injury. It is a common root cause of major incidents and even fatalities.
  • Night workers are particularly prone to fatigue as day sleep is often lighter, shorter and more easily disrupted due to daytime noise and a natural rhythm that make it harder to to sleep during daylight.

Talk about it

  • Have you ever found it difficult to stay alert through a full shift?
  • Have you ever felt fatigued but didn’t know how to tell your supervisor or line manager?
  • Have you ever driven home after work and couldn’t quite remember the full journey home?
  • Have you ever made a poor decision because of fatigue?
  • Have you ever experienced making a mistake at work that you think was related to being fatigued?

Act on it

  • If you find that mental and/or physical exhaustion is a problem for you, it is time to look at ways to prevent fatigue.
  • You first need to figure out the cause of your fatigue, then determine an adequate solution.
  • When fatigue is not relieved by enough sleep (most people need an average of 8 hours), good nutrition, regular movement / exercise, other rest and relaxation, you should discuss this with your doctor.
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