Australasian Mine Safety

Australasian Mine Safety Summer 2011-12

Australasian Mine Safety is the leading voice for all key decision makers within Mining company's and major contractors. Delivering the latest industry news as it breaks.

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106 The Australasian Mine Safety Journal Summer 2011/12 Products and services banner FATIGUE MANAGEMENT Why are we unable to tell when we are too tired to work or drive? 30 years ago, I remember accompanying my dad to the local pub as a kid. We'd play out the back waiting for dad to drive us home, after having more than the one or two beers an hour. This was acceptable, this was the culture. P Contact Details: Natalie Tindale Managing Director Phone: +61 7 3325 0055 Mobile: +61 416 005 718 Email: Natalie@fatiguecalculator.com.au rofessor Drew Dawson identified fatigue impairment as being similar to alcohol impairment. When we are fatigued, we have a slower reaction response; we have reduced vigilance; our hand and eye coordination is affected; as is our sensory abilities. Image this scenario, it is 7am, you are driving home after a long night shift. You had limited sleep the night before but don't feel too bad. You are only 10km from home and you are starting to relax. A small child steps out from behind a parked car in front of you. Everything is now in slow motion. Your simple sensory abilities are affected – so you don't hear his mother scream out to you straight away – a few precious microseconds have now been wasted. You have reduced vigilance – it takes you longer to notice the child than it normally would have – a few more precious microseconds have been wasted. Your brain screams out to your foot to apply the brake IMMEDIATELY – but you have a slower reaction response time – a few more precious microseconds wasted. Your foot finally obeys and you reach out to grab the gear stick to change gears and brake, but you have poor hand eye coordination and you slip and miss the gear stick – another few precious microseconds have been wasted... Why is it that you didn't pull over? Why weren't you aware that you were impaired from fatigue? Just as 30 years ago my dad used to drive us home after a "few beers" believing he was safe enough to do so, today we are faced with the same issues for fatigue. I know when I'm right to drive or when I should be getting some sleep? BUT DO WE? Fatigue impairment affects your ability to self assess Have you ever noticed someone else who is alcohol impaired, who flatly refuses to believe they are 'drunk'. This is due to the physiological effect of alcohol – it affects our ability to self-assess. We are no longer able to determine how intoxicated we really are. Fatigue impairment affects our judgement in a similar way. "A discrepancy between an individual's own assessment of his or her ability to perform and the performance that is actually demonstrated may exist". Financial pressures If you notify your supervisor of your fatigue impairment at work, what will be the outcome? Will you be told to take sick days, what if you don't have any? Will you find yourself without employment? Will you be told to take leave without pay? Will you lose precious overtime? Family and social pressures If you are a commuter, living away from home, are you rushing home straight after shift to be with your family; are you staying up later than normal to attend social functions; are you getting up early in the morning after night shift to drop the children off at school? Cultural pressures What would happen if you put your hand up during prestart/toolbox meetings and told your supervisor you didn't get enough sleep last night, and will likely be impaired from fatigue? Will you be bombarded with cries of "Harden up Princess"? Next time you are in the same situation, will you sit quietly at the back of the room and hope no one notices your eyes popping out of your head? Fatigue mitigation All of these factors can affect your employees ability to accurately self assess their fatigue and impairment level. This may mean that you have employees working for you who are impaired, and therefore putting themselves, their colleagues, and ultimately the company at risk of injury, death or litigious action. MB Solutions provides solutions to fatigue hazards – through Fatigue Risk Management consultation, Fatigue Management Education, and fatigue identification. Call Natalie Tindale on 1300 426 779 to discuss options to manage employee fatigue at your workplace.

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