Eyewear to Provide Clearer View of Worker Fatigue

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Detecting First Signs of Fatigue ‘Critical’ to Management Strategy

Detecting the first signs of fatigue is critical for any fatigue management strategy, Coles said.

“There are a few important things to remember when developing a fatigue management plan,” said Coles. “People aren’t designed for 24/7 operations; people don’t fully adapt to shift work; and technology can help.”

The ability to continuously assess operator fatigue, regardless of factors such as time of day (sleep-wake cycle), previous amount and quality of sleep, effect of drugs and alcohol, or undiagnosed sleep disorders, would be beneficial to any fatigue management plan. Optalert’s early-warning drowsiness detection system comes into play here.

Any fatigue risk management plan must take into account working time arrangements. These typically include:

  • Scheduling of rosters
  • Number of consecutive shifts
  • Types of shift
  • Maximum hours per shift and per roster cycle
  • Break patterns within and between shifts
  • Allowances for overtime scheduling
  • Commuting time to and from work

Shift pattern variations can include eight and 12-hour shifts, day, evening and night shifts, and roster cycles.

“Often countermeasures are introduced to either minimize or counteract the effects of fatigue when driving,” said Coles. “While countermeasures can reduce the risk of a fatigue-related incident, they cannot eliminate the risk. The only cure for fatigue is sleep.”


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