Fatigue Awareness

1
Fatigue Awareness

• ARHCA
• Employee Training Package

2
Agenda

• Why fatigue awareness what it means to you
• Employment Standards Code exemption permit
• What fatigue is isnt
• Signs, impairments and influencing factors
• What can you do about fatigue
• Employee responsibilities

3
Why Fatigue Awareness?

• Roadbuilding in Alberta is seasonal
• Contract demands require extended work hours and
  consecutive work days
• Inclement weather has a big impact on when we can
  work
• ARHCA members have obtained an exemption permit
  from the Employment Standards Code to work
  extended hours

4
What Does This Mean To You?

• ARHCA member employees may work up to 16 hours a
  day unless they are regulated by other
  legislation (Drivers Hours Of Service
  Regulation, National Safety Code etc.)
• Days of rest do not have to be taken
  consecutively, however employers must allow
  employees at least a total of 4 days rest in each
  period of 4 consecutive work weeks
• If an employee works less than 4 hours a day
  (including travel time), it will be classified as
  a half day of rest
• All employees must have at least 8 hours of rest,
  not including travel time, before starting work
  the next day

5
What Is Fatigue

• A state of mind body our response to continued
  physical or mental activity
• Characterized by both mental physical effects
• Diminished ability to do work, including loss of
  attention, slower reactions, poor responses,
  deterioration of judgment, vigilance alertness
  and other problems
• Subjective feelings of tiredness, loss of
  motivation, a lethargic mood, or a desire for
  rest or sleep

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Fatigue may result from

• Inadequate rest
• Sleep loss /or disrupted sleep
• Stress (work or home)
• Displaced biological rhythms
• Excessive physical activity (labour)
• Driving, operating equipment
• Excessive mental or cognitive work (thinking,
  reasoning and decision making)

7
Fatigue Is Not

• Hours Of Service we may be working extended
  hours /or continuous days and not be fatigued.
  We may also be fatigued even if we are not
  working long hours
• Simply Falling Asleep you can experience the
  effects while awake. The effects of fatigue begin
  to take hold long before we are actually nodding
  off at the wheel of a vehicle or operating a
  piece of equipment.

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Signs Impairments

• Tiredness
• Sleepiness
• Irritability
• Depression
• Giddiness
• Loss of appetite
• Digestive problems
• Susceptibility to illness
• Working slower

• Slowed reactions physical mental
• Failure to respond to stimuli, changes in the
  surroundings
• Incorrect actions
• Memory errors forgetfulness
• Reduced motivation
• Increased tendency for mistakes

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Factors Which May Influence Fatigue

• Time of day temperature
• Working alone
• Being inactive /or performing boring functions
• Length frequency of breaks
• Availability of food water
• Duration of extended hours/consecutive working
  days
• Job /or home stress
• Use of personal time

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What Can You Do About Fatigue?

• Relax relaxation is necessary, not a wasteful
  luxury. It is downtime, with the mind body at
  rest, not watching the game on TV
• Exercise exercise relieves stress promotes
  cardiac respiratory health. It does not have to
  be grueling, a brisk walk, or a few stretches
  before physical activity can be beneficial. Do
  not exercise or shower shortly before attempting
  to sleep. Allow an hour to wind down before
  trying to sleep.

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What You Can Do contd

• Watch What You Eat good dietary habits can help
  you function well even if youre working long
  hours or consecutive days.
• 1st meal equal protein carbohydrate calories
• 2nd meal higher in proteins lower carbs
• Final meal high in carbs low in protein
• Use caffeine alcohol very moderately, you may
  think they help to keep you awake and help you
  sleep, but they damage the quality of your sleep
  wakefulness

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What You Can Do contd

• Communication Relationships identify the
  people that are important to you in both your
  work home life. Nurture those relationships.
  Try to eat at least some meals together and spend
  some time keeping in touch with their lives.

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What You Can Do contd

• Get Proper Sleep quality of sleep is critically
  important to quality of life effectiveness at
  work. Your sleep environment should be dark,
  cool, quiet relaxing. If sleeping during the
  day, darken the room reduce as much noise as
  possible. Mask external noise by white noise
  such as a fan. Dont deal with time constraints
  or scheduling problems by cheating on sleep!

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Employee Responsibilities

• Actively participate in FMS training
• Recognize symptoms of fatigue
• Promptly report any fatigue related concerns
• Report any individual medical or personal
  situations, which may have an affect on fatigue
• To get proper rest during time off
• Identify personal stress seek assistance if
  required