RISK ASSESSMENT FOR DRIVING – FATIGUE

 

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR DRIVING – FATIGUE

An interesting resource on fatigue for HSE personnel internationally, yet also a free download for the practitioner to utilize during their assessment of work-related driving hazards associated with fatigue. Those areas of hazard identification include assessments of fatigue factors relating to driver, vehicle, and journey and techniques to control the identified factors, from roster planning to breaks and training, into this essential resource for legal compliance and safety operations. to download more HSE free content, visit HSE Documents.

1.0. Hazards

1.1. Prolonged driving hours – driving continuously for several hours especially over 17+ hours awake.

1.2. Night driving/circadian lows – driving during natural drowsy periods (e.g. early morning post-lunch).

1.3. Monotonous routes/environment – long unchanging motorway stretches.

1.4. Sleep disorders or poor sleep quality – conditions like sleep apnea shift-work sleep deprivation.

1.5. Use of medications or substances – prescription/OTC drugs alcohol that cause drowsiness.

2.0. Risks

2.1. Microsleeps – brief lapses in consciousness lasting up to 2 seconds, enough to travel ~50 m at speed.

2.2. Delayed reaction time – slowing down reflexes similar to being over the legal alcohol limit after 17 hours awake.

2.3. Poor decision-making/judgment – fatigue impairs lane-keeping, braking, overtaking.

2.4. Drowsy-driving crashes – fatigue-related collisions twice as likely to be severe or fatal.

2.5. High-risk groups – night-shift workers, commercial drivers, younger males, sleep disorders sufferers

3.0. Risk Control Measures

3.1. Limit hours, enforce rest periods, FRMS

3.2. Schedule to avoid high-risk times, shift design

3.3. Use fatigue-detection tech, anti-fatigue zones

3.4. Health screening, medical follow-ups

3.5. Medication review, self-reporting requirement

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