Forest Operations > Operational Hazards > Fatigue

Fatigue

Fatigue is the condition of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy that results from the lack of sleep.

As well as long hours of mental or physical work or extended periods of stress and anxiety, there are a number of other things that can cause fatigue. These include:

• Long periods of time awake;
• Poor quality or amount of sleep;
• Not enough rest breaks;
• Environmental Stresses (e.g. heat, noise, vibration);
• Work schedules too long and hard;
• Changing sleep patterns (e.g. Night shifts).

Boring or repetitive tasks can also increase the feelings of fatigue.

Fatigue is sometimes referred to as either acute or chronic fatigue.

Acute fatigue

• Short –term sleep loss.
• Short periods of heavy physical work.
• Short periods of mental work.

The affects of acute fatigue can be reversed by sleep and relaxation.

Chronic fatigue

• If you are extremely tired all of the time, and can’t concentrate on tasks at hand, you may be suffering from chronic fatigue.  If so, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Feelings of fatigue or tiredness can lead to a drop in your work performance, and could be the cause of accidents.

Fatigue warning signs:

• Tiredness and lack of energy.
• Slow to react and taking longer to complete tasks.
• Impaired judgment.
• Not making good decisions.                               
• Irritability.

Fatigue can be managed in a number of ways:

• Hours of work;
• Good night’s sleep;
• Good Fitness(Fig’s 16 a and b);
• Moderated climatic conditions (e.g. Air conditioned cabins);
• Job rotation.

Fig 16a Arm and shoulder stretches

Fig 16b Leg stretches

If you are a machine operator or truck driver, below are some exercises and stretches (see Fig 17) that you can do in your seat

Fig 17 Stretches

Dealing with fatigue is important for drivers of heavy vehicles. There are legal requirements that outline maximum driving hours between rest breaks.

You need to control your lifestyle, social commitments, sleep patterns; meal and rest breaks to manage your fatigue levels, and ensure you are fit for work.