Experts Question Fatigue Tests

The NSW Labor Council is calling on WorkCover to investigate the latest research into fatigue management after international researchers called into question the current systems of dealing with fatigue.

Experts from the area of fatigue management presented the latest research into sleep loss and its impact on workplace safety during a briefing to the NSW unions.

Part of the presentation presented the findings of a fatigue-modelling workshop in the United States, which discovered that existing models performed poorly. This included the Fatigue Audit InterDyne (FAID) test, used by Australian employers.

Following the presentation the NSW Labor Council expressed concern over the models being used to assess fatigue in the workplace.

"The fatigue tests were designed for the effects of total sleep deprivation, where the issue for workplace safety is partial sleep deprivation," says NSW Labor Council Occupational Health and Safety Officer Mary Yaager. "We are concerned that these are being used in certain industries and they may actually increase risk factors."

The experts also pointed out that individuals are unable to assess the level of their own fatigue.

The findings of the researchers are set to be published in the March edition of leading peer reviewed monthly journal, Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine.

To discuss this and many other interesting OH & S topics visit our discussion boards at http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/shoptalk/

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:38 EST