Applied research
Applied research projects currently underway at the Centre include:
- Study and analysis into fatigue coastal pilots
- Rail industry shiftwork and workload study, Phase III
- Development of a validated tool to help manage the risk of human fatigue in the workplace
- Error management in aviation training: Defining best practice
- Development of national principles and tools for the recognition, prevention and mitigation of fatigue in health workers
- Fatigue research and evaluation in the US rail industry
- Developing and implementing performance-based fatigue management systems
- Instructional use of threat and error
- Fatigue and error management in anaesthesia
- Managing driver fatigue: Quantifying real world performance impairment
- Nurses work hours, sleep and fatigue: Implications for patient safety
Study and analysis into fatigue coastal pilots
(2004–2005, funded by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority)A number of incidents in the Great Barrier Reef area have been shown to be related to fatigue. Previous studies have examined the working hours and sleeping patterns of coastal pilots in the region and provided valuable insights into potential fatigue issues. To date, however, there has been no systematic, sector-wide method for managing the impact of fatigue associated with this unique working environment. The current project aims to provide objective data on which to base recommendations for minimising the impact of fatigue, including the suitability of the minimum rest-break requirements, and to develop a framework for a training course for Coastal pilots. A system of managing fatigue may require a move away from prescriptive hours of work regulations to one of a safety case which requires operators to show a case of alternate compliance.
Key researchers: Sally Ferguson, Drew Dawson, Nicole Lamond.
Rail industry shiftwork and workload study, Phase III
(2002–2005, funded by the Australian Rail Consortium)In 2004, CABS continued its long-term collaboration with members of the Rail Consortium, a consortia comprised of seven national rail organisations and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union. Research focussed on an assessment of risk and workload in the rail industry, the development of fitness for duty programs, and the development of a web-based Safety Management System software application. This application streamlines the management of OHS data and allows organisations to proactively predict and manage risk by highlighting areas of potential hazard. This particular component of the project was developed in conjunction with the Key Centre for Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology, in which CABS continued its long-term membership in 2004.
The final stages of the Shiftwork and Workload Study will extend the work done in Phase II that studied the effects of train driver fatigue using driver simulators. This work will be enhanced by using actual driver performance data from locomotive data loggers. Research will focus on fine-tuning the relationship between fatigue index scores and real-world measures of driver performance in order to more clearly define the question, 'How tired is too tired to drive a train?'.
Key researchers: Drew Dawson, Frank Hussey, Jill Dorrian, Stuart Baulk, Nicole Lamond, Angela Baker, Adam Fletcher, Ryan Higgins, Katie Kandelaars, Karah Hogarth, Michael Gratton, Matthew Thomas.
Development of a validated tool to help manage the risk of human fatigue in the workplace
(2003–2005, funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant)A recent federal parliamentary inquiry recommended that a fatigue risk management approach be applied to the regulation of working hours within industry. A key requirement of such an approach, and the aim of this newly awarded project, is to develop a scientifically validated tool to help manage the work-related fatigue associated with hours-of-work. Ultimately, this will reduce the costs of our 24-hour society on employees, their families, organisations and the wider community. In 2003, research on this project was undertaken with the facilitation of the mining industry. Further major support for the coming years has also been offered by stakeholders in the rail industry.
Key researchers: Stuart Baulk, Katie Kandelaars, Adam Fletcher, Greg Roach.
Error management in aviation training: Defining best practice
(2004–2005, funded by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau)Human Error remains a significant causal factor in the majority of aviation incidents and accidents. However, we are still some way from defining best practice in Error Management Training. This study will provide the Australian aviation industry with a concrete training package for error management training for flight crew.
Key Researchers: Matthew Thomas, Renee Petrilli.
Development of national principles and tools for the recognition, prevention and mitigation of fatigue in health workers
(2004–2005, funded by the Department of Health and Ageing)Funded by a Commonwealth of Australia grant, Professor Drew Dawson, Dr Sally Ferguson and Dr Jill Dorrian have commenced a project to develop national principles and tools for the recognition, prevention and mitigation of fatigue in healthcare professionals. In the past, CABS has conducted numerous studies on fatigue and its associated risks within the transport, aviation and mining industry. Considering the similar nature of 24-hour work, CABS is now expanding this focus to assist in the development of principles for application in a health care environment.
Key researchers: Sally Ferguson, Drew Dawson, Jill Dorrian.
Fatigue research and evaluation in the US rail industry
(2002–2005, funded by the Federal Rail Administration, USA)Internationally, the Centre has made a significant contribution to the US rail industry with the near completion of a research project with the US Federal Rail Administration. Professor Drew Dawson has worked closely with rail administrators to develop human performance measures for use in existent locomotive simulators.
Key Researchers: Drew Dawson.
Developing and implementing performance-based fatigue management systems
(2001–2004, funded by Qantas, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and the Australian and International Pilot's Association)Increasingly, pilots are required to work more flexible flight schedules that expose them to greater levels of work-related fatigue. Consequently, a recent federal parliamentary inquiry recommended that a fatigue risk management approach be applied to the regulation of pilots' flight and duty times. A key aspect of such an approach, and the aim of the proposed project, is to determine the level of fatigue at which pilots' ability to operate an aircraft reaches a safety-critical level. This research will provide a scientifically validated benchmark for regulating pilots' flight and duty times. Ultimately, this will improve safety for the flying public.
In 2004, with the collaboration of industry partners, researchers have created realistic flight scenarios for a simulator study to look at the effects of fatigue on pilots' performance.
Key researchers: Drew Dawson, Gregory Roach, Nicole Lamond, Matthew Thomas, Renee Petrilli, David Darwent, Tracey Sletten, Adam Fletcher.
Instructional use of threat and error
(2004, funded by Virgin Blue)The aim of the project is to undertake a systematic analysis of the instructional use of Threat and Error within the simulator base-training environment of commercial airlines. The project seeks to provide the industry with a series of recommendations for enhancing the instructional use of threats and errors as they occur during training in order to maximise the instructional benefit of the simulator-based training process.
Key Researchers: Matthew Thomas.
Fatigue and error management in anaesthesia
Whilst previous research has examined the impact of fatigue on anaesthetists' cognitive skills using laboratory tasks, to date, no research has examined the effects of fatigue on anaesthetists' operational performance in real-world settings. Using a 'real-world' patient simulator, the aims of the proposed research are to (1) determine the cognitive skills that are crucial to anaesthetists' operational performance, and (2) examine the impact of fatigue on anaesthetists' operational performance.
It is anticipated that the findings of this study will help to minimise errors and risks derived from fatigue in anaesthesia, and ultimately, help to save lives.
Key researchers: Matthew Thomas, Renee Petrilli, Kate Fraser, Gerry Trueren (OHS UniSA), Simon Jenkins (Royal Adelaide Hospital).
Managing driver fatigue: Quantifying real world performance impairment
(2005, ATSB Road Safety Research Grant)Dr Stuart Baulk and Dr Cameron van den Heuvel were awarded a one year project grant in collaboration with Dr. Kathy Reid, at Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. Fatigue-related driving accidents are preventable and may decrease with a systematic fatigue management approach. Such systems are being implemented in many industries, having been validated against laboratory performance tests. This project aims to compare these tests with simulated driving performance, thus potentially extending the benefit of fatigue management systems into the driving area.
Key researchers: Stuart Baulk, Cameron van den Heuvel, Kathy Reid (Northwestern University).
Collaborative grants
Nurses work hours, sleep and fatigue: Implications for patient safety
Researchers from the CFSR are working collaboratively with Jan Pincombe from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at UniSA and Ann Rogers from the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. A shortage of registered nurses has lead to extended shifts, increased overtime and fewer breaks. Consequently, nurses are at risk of fatigue-related performance impairment, with adverse implications for nurse and patient safety. This study examines the relationship between nurses' sleep, alertness, work schedules, error frequency and error type. This study will provide a first step towards determining fatigue-safe working conditions for Australian nurses.
Click here to visit the home page for this study, to download information documents and to take part in the online questionnaire.
Key researchers: Jill Dorrian, Nicole Lamond, Cameron van den Heuvel, Matthew Thomas, Jan Pincombe (School of Nursing and Midwifery, UniSA), Ann Rogers (School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania), Drew Dawson.