1. Fatigue
A Context

2. What is Fatigue? ICAO Definition
A physiological state of reduced mental or physical performance capability resulting from sleep loss, extended wakefulness, circadian phase, and/or workload (mental and/or physical activity) that can impair a person’s alertness and ability to perform safety related operational duties
[from ICAO Doc Annex 11]

3. The Manual for the Oversight of Fatigue Management Approaches
ICAO Document 9966
The Manual for the Oversight of Fatigue Management Approaches
ANNEX 11: Fatigue Management Guide for Air Traffic Service Providers [first edition: 2016]
CANSO/ICAO/IFATCA

4. From NATS
NMS: Fatigue
The signs of fatigue in Engineering Environments
Operational engineers have specific factors that impact their risk of fatigue. These include:
Shift Patterns – 12 hour shifts / shift patterns that start at a very early time (eg. 0600)
Extended periods of lone work (particularly prevalent at most airports);
Large shifts in workload leading to high stress during busy periods / boredom during very quiet periods;
Completing physically demanding tasks, i.e. accessing some remote airport sites (terminal roofs etc.) for maintenance activity.
Long work periods without rest breaks – official rest periods taken outside of shift at most airports.

5. From NATS
NMS: Fatigue
Operational engineers may display various task-related ‘symptoms’ suggesting that they are becoming fatigued.
Carelessness – e.g. dropping tools, having to repeat steps in a process, incorrect analysis, stumbling, poor judgement.
Complacency and non-conformance – e.g. cutting out steps of a procedure just to get the job done, tackling a task without first putting all required safeguards in place, not carrying out proper checks before completing a job.
If you are aware that you are showing signs of fatigue, don’t ignore them as there may be implications for both the safety of the ATM system and your own health and safety.

6. From NATS General signs of fatigue
Controllers and engineers may experience only some of the signs shown in the table below and may not necessarily associate them with fatigue.
Mental fatigue
Visual fatigue
Physical tiredness
Subjective feelings of weariness, sleepiness
Heavy eyelids
Physical symptoms such as aching muscles
Reduced ability to concentrate and pick out important information
Pain / irritation / burning sensations in one or both eyes
Feelings of weariness, need to sit down / rest
Poorer judgments / increased carelessness
Watering eyes
Slower decision making / reaction times
Difficulty in focusing / double vision
Less likely to detect errors – both your own and other peoples’
Reddening of the eyes
Irritability / moodiness
Headaches

7. Key principles in fatigue 1
From UK HSE
Key principles in fatigue 1
Fatigue needs to be managed, like any other hazard.
It is important not to underestimate the risks of fatigue.
For example, the incidence of accidents and injuries has been found to be higher on night shifts, after a succession of shifts, when shifts are long and when there are inadequate breaks.
The legal duty is on employers to manage risks from fatigue.
This is irrespective of any individual’s willingness to work extra hours or preference for certain shift patterns for social reasons. Compliance with the Working Time Regulations alone is insufficient to manage the risks of fatigue.
Changes to working hours need to be risk assessed.
The key considerations should be the principles contained in HSE’s guidance. Risk assessment may include the use of tools such as HSE’s ‘fatigue risk index’.
Employees should be consulted on working hours and shift patterns.
However, note that employees may prefer certain shift patterns that are unhealthy and likely to cause fatigue.
Develop a policy that specifically addresses and sets limits on working hours, overtime and shift-swapping, and which guards against fatigue.

8. Key principles in fatigue 2
From UK HSE
Key principles in fatigue 2
Implement the policy and make arrangements to monitor and enforce it.
This may include developing a robust system of recording working hours, overtime, shift-swapping and on-call working.
Problems with overtime and shift-swapping may indicate inadequate resource allocation and staffing levels.
There are many different shift work-schedules and each schedule has different features.
This sheer diversity of work and workplaces means that there is no single optimal shift system that suits everyone. However, a planned and systematic approach to assessing and managing the risks of shift work can improve the health and safety of workers.
There are a number of key risk factors in shift schedule design.
These include workload, the work activity, shift timing and duration, direction of rotation and the number and length of breaks during and between shifts. Workplace environment such as the physical environment, management issues and employee welfare can also contribute to the risks associated with shift work.
Sleep disturbances can lead to a ‘sleep debt’ and fatigue.
Night workers are particularly at risk of fatigue because their day sleep is often lighter, shorter and more easily disturbed because of daytime noise and a natural reluctance to sleep during daylight.

9. Prospect Fatigue Management is dependent on Good SMS HF Considerations
Working environment
Working practices
Workload
Just Culture
Reporting/Recording System
Clear Responsibilities/Obligations
D&A Policy

10. Fatigue Management Approaches
In general, ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in various Annexes support two distinct methods for managing fatigue:
a prescriptive approach that requires the Service Provider to comply with duty time limits defined by the State, while managing fatigue hazards using the SMS processes that are in place for managing safety hazards in general ; and
a performance-based​ approach that requires the Service Provider to implement a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) that is approved by the State.

11. Fatigue Management Approaches
a prescriptive approach that requires the Service Provider to comply wi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Fatigue Management Approaches
In general, ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in various Annexes support two distinct methods for managing fatigue:
a prescriptive approach that requires the Service Provider to comply with duty time limits defined by the State, while managing fatigue hazards using the SMS processes that are in place for managing safety hazards in general ; and
a performance-based​ approach that requires the Service Provider to implement a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) that is approved by the State.

12. Exercise
In groups discuss and capture your conclusions on the following key areas:
How might fatigue affect you in your place of work?
How is fatigue addressed in your ANSP?
What might be put in place in your ANSP to address fatigue?

13. Conclusions