The document outlines common mistakes made when implementing Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) and how to avoid them. Some key mistakes include: failing to demonstrate management commitment; under-resourcing the FRMS; giving the FRMS Group insufficient authority; lacking a clear and credible FRMS leader; not ensuring the FRMS manager remains autonomous; rolling out fatigue reporting before establishing a supportive culture; and providing generic fatigue training instead of tailoring it to the organization's specific risks. The document was developed by fatigue management specialists Clockwork Research to help organizations properly introduce an effective FRMS.

1. COMMON MISTAKES MADE
WHEN IMPLEMENTING FRMS
.... AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
7

2. ICAO
defines
a
Fa-gue
Risk
Management
System
as
“a
data-­‐driven
means
of
con1nuously
monitoring
and
managing
fa1gue-­‐related
safety
risks,
based
upon
scien1fic
principles
and
knowledge
as
well
as
opera1onal
experience,
that
aims
to
ensure
relevant
personnel
are
performing
at
adequate
levels
of
alertness.”
(ICAO
SARP,
Annex
6,
Part
1
(2011).
Developed
by
fa-gue
management
specialists,
Clockwork
Research,
this
presenta-on
highlights
some
of
the
piDalls
to
avoid
when
introducing
a
Fa-gue
Risk
Management
System,
and
provides
guidance
on
how
to
avoid
making
these
mistakes.
About the authors
Founded in 2005, Clockwork Research is an
independent organisation that specialises in
the management of fatigue risk.
We translate academic research into
strategies for measuring and managing human
performance for the aviation, petrochemical
and mining industries. Clockwork has worked
on fatigue risk management projects with
over 20 airlines, including Air France, Cathay
Pacific, Qatar Airways and easyJet.
Clockwork’s clients also include government
departments, for example the UK Department
for Transport, the UK Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) and Australian Civil Aviation Safety
Authority (CASA), as well as industry bodies
including the Energy Institute and IPIECA, the
global oil and gas industry association for
environmental and social issues.
Clockwork assists airlines to take all of the
steps involved in implementing an effective
FRMS in accordance with ICAO, UK CAA, EASA
and other local regulatory authorities.
www.clockworkresearch.com
clockworkRESEARCH
©
Clockwork
Research
Limited,
2014

3. Management fail to demonstrate their commitment to FRMS
For an FRMS to be implemented successfully it is essential that management take their
responsibilities seriously, and demonstrate their commitment to FRMS through their actions
as well as their words.
1

4. The FRMS is under-resourced
A successful FRMS needs human and financial resources. As well as a budget to enable
projects to be undertaken, individuals need to be allocated time to enable them to complete
the various tasks required to introduce and manage the FRMS.
2

5. The FRMS Group has insufficient authority
The FRMS Group needs to have sufficient authority to be taken seriously by the workforce. To
encourage widespread acceptance, the Group should include representatives from all parts of
the operation whose actions may influence fatigue.
3

6. The FRMS doesn’t have a clear, credible, visible leader
4

7. The FRMS doesn’t have a clear, credible, visible leader
The FRMS needs a figurehead or champion. An individual with credibility and authority, who
the workforce trust and respect, and who management will listen to.
4

8. The FRMS manager is not autonomous
FRMS needs to be separate from commercial or rostering decisions and the FRMS manager
needs to be able to take difficult decisions without being compromised. Consequently the
FRMS manager and FRMS activities should be kept separate from crewing or rostering.
5

9. Fatigue Reporting has been rolled out but the company culture is not
ready
Organisations looking to quickly gather data on fatigue sometimes make the mistake of
introducing a fatigue report form before the company culture is ready for it. To ensure that a
fatigue reporting system is accepted and used appropriately, procedures need to be put in
place and publicised so that everyone understands how and what to report, what will happen
to the data they submit, and the consequences of reporting fatigue.
6

10. Fatigue training is not tailored to the organisation's risks
Generic off-the-shelf fatigue training that does not consider the specific risks faced by an
individual operation will be of limited relevance to crew. To be of value, training should
reflect the operation: the routes, rosters and operational practices of the organisation.
7

11. Clockwork Research helps safety-critical organisations to implement Fatigue
Risk Management Systems. To find out how we could help your organisation
please visit www.clockworkresearch.com or call +44(0)207 402 6233
clockworkRESEARCH