Fatigue Alert

1. Know your “FATIGUE LEVELS" Issue 37
What is Fatigue?
Fatigue refers to mental or physical exhaustion that stops a person from being able to function normally. However, fatigue
is more than simply feeling tired or drowsy. Fatigue is caused by prolonged periods of physical and/or mental exertion
without enough time to rest and recover. Circadian rhythms are our body’s natural cycles that control energy, appetite,
mood, sleep and libido. They are an internal biological ‘body clock’ that follows a roughly 24-hour cycle in our behavioural,
physiological and biochemical processes.
Due to circadian rhythms, the human body is programmed for different levels of wakefulness depending on the time of day.
It is normal for the human body to experience a depression or reduction in activity in the midnight to dawn period.
Work schedules that require people to work for extended periods of time, or to be awake and active at night, disrupt these
circadian rhythms and increase the risk of fatigue.
A person suffering from fatigue may in turn experience:
• Sleepiness
• Poor judgement
• Lack of concentration
• impaired recollection of timing and events
• Irritability and reduced capacity for effective interpersonal communication
• reduced hand-eye coordination and visual perception
• Slower reaction times and reduced vigilance.
Fatigue Management
Infraworks and our clients have strict guidelines when it comes to hours, consecutive days and stand down periods
between shifts.
Employees must understand that they may only work 12 shifts in a 14 day period or a maximum of a 124 hours. A 10
hour standown period between shifts must be adhered to.
If these hours are exceded based on what is referenced in the timesheet it is to be asumed that they are breaching
Fatigue Managment requirements. Please indicate actual hours worked and then reference whatever client hour
requirements they have agreed upon in their timesheets. If you have been allocated a shift which breachess your fatigue
you must bring this to allocations attention.
It is important to know that if you are feeling the effects of fatigue or you are going to approach maximum hour per shift you
must contact Infraworks.
If you decide that you would like to Self Assess your Fatigue you can access our Fatigue Assessment Tool in your
Assignar App to determine your Fatigue Levels. Note: This may prompt you you to cease work and contact Infraworks
anyway.
We also understand that our clients may be unaware of your status regarding consecutive shifts and will ask that you return
for shifts. It is your responsability to inform Infraworks if you think you may be close to breaching Infraworks Fatigue
Management requirements.
“…fatigued individuals are more likely
to engage in risk taking
behaviours.”
March 18