Fatigue Awareness

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Fatigue Awareness

• ARHCA
• Manager/Supervisor Training Package

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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
• All employers must abide by the Employment
  Standards Code unless they receive an exemption
  permit from the Director

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Employment Standards Code

• Section 16(1) An employees hours of work must be
  confined within a period of 12 consecutive hours
  in any one work day, unless
• (a) an accident occurs, urgent work is
  necessary to a plant or machinery or other
  unforeseeable or preventable circumstances occur,
  or
• (b) the Director issues a permit authorizing
  extended hours of work.

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Employment Standards Code

• 19(1) Every employer must allow each employee at
  least
• (a) one day of rest in each work week
• (b) 2 consecutive days of rest in each period
  of 2 consecutive work weeks,
• (c) 3 consecutive days of rest in each period
  of 3 consecutive work weeks, or
• (d) 4 consecutive days of rest in each period
  of 4 consecutive work weeks.
• (2) Every employer must allow each employee at
  least 4 consecutive days of rest in each 24
  consecutive work days.

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Employment Standards Code

• 17(2) An employer must not require an employee to
  change from one shift to another without at least
  24 hours written notice and 8 hours of rest
  between shifts.
• NO EXEMPTION TO THIS SECTION OF THE CODE.
  Employers must give their workers at least 8
  hours off. Traveling
• to from job sites are not
• to be included in the 8 hours
• of rest.

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ARHCA Requests Permit

• In May 2001, the Alberta Roadbuilders Heavy
  Construction Association on behalf of its
  members, requested and received a permit from
  Employment Standards allowing ARHCA members to
  work extended hours (in excess of 12 per day).
• In 2003, the ARHCA received permission to allow
  employees days of rest which do not have to be
  taken consecutively
• A work day is defined as any day when an employee
  works more than 4 hours (including travel time)

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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 employees must have at
  least 4 days of 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
  before starting work the next day

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How Do We Maintain The Permit?

• Employers must implement and consistently
  monitor a Safety and Fatigue Management Program.
• A Fatigue Management
• Assessment Checklist must be
• completed
• Provide employees with a copy
• of the permit
• Permit may be revoked for
• noncompliance

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Other Benefits of a FMS

• To provide a safe and healthy work environment
• Ensure an awareness of and response to fatigue in
  the workplace
• To deal with fatigue so that a workers ability
  to perform mental and physical tasks is not
  impaired
• Pro-active approach for employers to assist
  employees to cope with fatigue, both at work and
  at home

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Establishing a FMS

• Information available on the ARHCA website at
• www.arhca.ab.ca
• - a Fatigue Awareness package including the
  permit letter of understanding,
• - FMS Guidelines,
• - employee information package,
• - WHS bulletins, pamphlet,
• - Fatigue Assessment Checklist,
• - resource video information,
• - Employee training package,
• - Manager/Supervisor training package
• Every employer may adapt this package to suit
  their own operational requirements

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FMS step by step

• Policy development (example in guidelines)
• Develop implement management, supervisor
  employee responsibilities
• Communicate utilize preventive methods
• Include assessment checklist in operation
  processes
• Establish reporting procedures
• Ensure a monitoring process is in place
• Enact a program review process
• Provide appropriate training for all employees

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Employer Responsibilities

• Each company must determine responsibilities
  which are operationally structurally feasible
  for their situation. Responsibilities may
  include
• Ensure FMS is implemented training provided
• Communicate company expectations
• Ensure reporting, monitoring review processes
  are in place
• Assist, advise support line supervisors
• Promote the importance of the FMS ensure
  compliance with the exemption permit

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Employer Responsibilities

• Support, promote provide FMS information
• Understand legislative requirements
• Assess the risks associated with extended hours
  /or consecutive work days
• Ensure fatigue awareness checklist is performed
• Incorporate preventive methods/controls take
  prompt action if a hazard exists
• Monitor hours of work report any problems,
  concerns /or issues
• Ensure open communication feedback
• Provide a safe healthy work environment

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Preventive Method Ideas

• Schedule rest days when possible
• Minimize extended hours of work when possible
• Recognize individual crew fatigue, and
  encourage workers to look out for each other
• Define whether the work is urgent or not
• Give as much advanced notice of extended hours
  and a minimum of 24 hours notice of shift changes
• Review other options such as transfers, job
  sharing, etc.
• Solicit short term help to minimize extended
  hours

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Preventive methods contd

• Ensure crewmembers have access to food
  water and take short and frequent breaks
• Have employees rotate perform various functions
  of short duration during extended hours
• Perform complex tasks earlier in the shift
• Consider travel time to from work
• Be flexible supportive to employees
  experiencing fatigue /or with personal issues
• Account for workers returning from sickness,
  absences /or modified work

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Fatigue Awareness Assessment Checklist

• Understand checklist content
• process
• Incorporate checklist with employee orientation,
  tool box talks and other safety hazard
  assessments
• Ensure checklist is documented retained on file
  
• Communicate implement control methods to
  workers

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Lets review the checklist
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Reporting Procedures

• Report any unsafe acts conditions
• Include time of day on incident/near miss reports
  and determine if fatigue was a factor
• Report any crew or individual fatigue concerns

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Monitoring Methods

• Each company must determine how extended hours,
  consecutive days rest days are monitored
  (payroll, timesheets, supervisors, etc.)
• Whom reports to whom when a concern or red flag
  appears
• What corrective actions are required and who is
  responsible?
• Are there any performance or productivity
  concerns?

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Training

• Type of training depends upon employees
  responsibilities
• Document all training, safety talks and fatigue
  awareness checklists
• All employees should know
• What fatigue is and isnt
• What may cause fatigue signs symptoms
• Factors influencing fatigue
• What individuals can do to deal with fatigue
• Employee responsibilities

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Training contd

• Managers Supervisors require additional
  knowledge expertise
• Legislation, exemptions and permits
• Preventive methods for dealing with fatigue
• Fatigue Assessment Checklist
• Reporting procedures
• Program monitoring methods
• Review processes
• Manager/Supervisor responsibilities

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Program Review Processes

• Periodic review of FMS policy
• procedures to determine effectiveness
• Review the factors reasons for working extended
  hours/consecutive days of work
• Obtain feedback on training effectiveness
• Review discuss possible alternatives to
  extended hours consecutive days
• Document wherever possible