Fatigue Management

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.

Fatigue is generally associated with:

• spending long periods of time awake
• having an inadequate amount and/or quality of sleep over an extended period

Fatigue can significantly affect an individual’s capacity to function. The side effects of fatigue include decreasing performance and productivity, and increased potential for injuries to occur.

Fatigue management is a shared responsibility between the employer and employee as it involves factors that occur both in and outside of the workplace. If you are experiencing fatigue it is important to identify the factors that are contributing to the fatigue, discuss the issue with your employer, make changes as required (including sleeping patterns, workload, roster and lifestyle behaviours), and seek professional help if necessary.

 (Queensland Government Department of Employment and Industrial Relations 2005)