Fatigue Management Continued from page 27 Beyond being able to identify signs of fatigue, we must also be sure we are providing appropriate tools for addressing inadequate rest. At an organizational level, we have to think beyond training for recognition and avoidance, and work to ensure we aren’t placing employees in situations where the risk for fatigue escalates beyond an acceptable level. Our big- gest influence on fatigue is generally in how we schedule. Around-the- clock operations are a reality that most aviation businesses simply accept as normal; but we can take a risk-based view of how schedules are developed and implement policies and procedures to minimize day to night shift changes without acclima- tization time (short turnarounds), excessive overtime or successive days without adequate time off for rest. In practice, this requires that personnel with scheduling authority are trained on practical methods for minimizing circadian disruption. In addition to risk-based scheduling, there are a few other strategies we can incorporate: ■■ Non-punitive policies for fatigue allow employees who are dan- gerously tired to rest or leave work if necessary without fear of punishment. Of course, policies of this sort have to be balanced with operational demands, and supported by education to prevent abuse. When such policies are implemented well, the tendency to grin-and-bear- it through fatigue is reduced, and so is unnecessary risk. ■■ Napping or even resting without sleep has been shown to be very effective in combating fatigue. While wholesale naps 28 would no doubt create a serious operational issue for most of us, controlled rest, especially for workers whose risk profile supports it, is a tool we should be prepared to use as needed to mitigate fatigue-related risk. ■■ Short breaks can also increase alertness, especially when tasks are relatively monotonous. Even simply switching activi- ties can increase performance by allowing the brain to take a “cognitive break.” Short breaks for exercise take this concept one step further, and the associ- ated increase in heart rate can have a substantial—and last- ing—effect on fatigue reduction. ■ ■ Limited use of stimulants, such as caffeine, can also be effec- tive as a fatigue countermea- sure. It is important to stress that caffeine simply masks fatigue’s effects, and it is also a diuretic, which can contrib- ute to dehydration if not used strategically (generally, more than six cups of coffee per day is considered excessive and can lead to negative health effects). ■ ■ Gaining access to ideal light- ing is less commonly discussed, but lighting conditions have a positive effect on drowsi- ness by suppressing melatonin and effectively “resetting” the body’s circadian rhythm. ■■ Monitoring (even informally) and avoiding of lone worker situations are additional meth- ods of reducing fatigue risks. This isn’t suggesting that we ask employees to spy on one another. Rather, including some ■■ of the warning signs of fatigue in initial and recurrent train- ing, and discussing how to talk with colleagues about fatigue risk, can go a long way toward mitigating risk at the source while reinforcing a culture of open communication. Diet and exercise are less im- mediate solutions to fatigue, but if we are interested in a holistic, long-term positive influence on our organizational fatigue risk, then we can’t ignore healthy lifestyle choices. The good news is that an increasing number of employee benefit providers include wellness programs that can help support access and ed- ucation on the positive effects of eating well and exercising, and not just with respect to fatigue. Keep in mind of course that train- ing on strategies for fatigue identi- fication, mitigation, and avoidance are focused on awareness at the employee level and operational imple- mentation for supervisors. While a fatigue management policy might ap- ply universally, training for different levels of authority and responsibility throughout the organization should vary with exposure and responsibility. All of this talk about fatigue may sound like a broken record, but if the issues associated with fatigue at the workplace were that easily solved, we wouldn’t continue to see so many incidents, accidents and injuries as a result. As the idiom goes, “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, then you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.” To make real progress in fatigue risk reduc- tion, our approach likely needs to Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2016
