Media Release
December 8 2009
Calculating risk on workplace fatigue
UniSA
has developed a fatigue calculator to help workers assess if they are
too tired to work.
Developed by
Professor Drew Dawson, head of UniSA’s
Centre for Sleep Research,
the calculator helps individuals recognise the likelihood of them making
a fatigue related error on the job.
Prof Dawson says workers and their employers were interested in a way to
better manage fatigue in the workplace.
“Employers in high risk industries such as mining, trucking and health
care need a simple way to know if their staff are fit-for-duty and how
to estimate the level of risk,” says Prof Dawson.
The Fatigue Calculator
takes into account two factors when determining individual fatigue
levels: How long a person is going to be awake; and how much sleep they
have had in the previous two days. The answers to these simple questions
are calculated to determine whether the individual is operating at a
low, medium or high risk level.
“Use of the calculator has the potential to reduce the number of fatigue
related incidents and accidents that occur in the workplace,” Prof
Dawson said.
“Staying awake for 17 hours has the same effect on performance as having
a blood alcohol level of 0.05 per cent and after 21 hours awake you
demonstrate the same deterioration as having a blood alcohol
concentration of 0.1 per cent.”
A number of mining companies are already using the calculator and have
implemented it as part of their fatigue management programs. It is
suitable for anyone who needs to determine whether or not they are fit
for work such as shift workers or people heading off on a long drive
over the Christmas season.
More information on the calculator, which retails for around $40, is
available at
www.fatiguecalculator.com.au
Contact for interview
-
Prof Drew Dawson mobile 0438 329 766 email
drew.dawson@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
- Kelly Stone office (08) 8302 0963 mobile 0417 861 832 email kelly.stone@unisa.edu.au