Monday, November 23, 2009

Useful terms for driver fatigue management

Although these terms are written with the transport industry in mind, they are highly relevant and applicable for other industries as well.

Minimum continuous break in a 24 hour period for a solo driver: 7 hours in the Standard Hours option, 7 hour continuous break or 8 hours in 2 parts (islimited) in the Basic Fatigue Management option, 6 hour continuous break or 8 hours in 2 parts (subject to conditions).

Night sleep: At least seven hours continuous rest between 10pm and 8am.

Shift: The period of driving and work time between two periods of continuous sleep opportunity. A shift is deemed to have started at the end of the last continuous sleep opportunity and finishes at the beginning of the next continuous sleep opportunity.

Short rest break: Any rest break that is 15 minutes or more in duration, but less than seven hours. Means time at work provided for rest and meals after a continuous period of active work and does not include non-driving work time or time not working. Short rest is recorded in minimum 15 minute periods (i.e. any non-work less than 15 minutes does not counttowards rest, any period of non-work of 15 minutes but less than 30 minutes is counted as 15 minutes rest etc.).

Night work: Any driving or work undertaken between midnight and 6 am.

Hazard: A source or situation with a potential to cause injury, illness or disease.

Hazard identification: Process of recognising that a hazard exists.

Risk: The likelihood of an injury, illness or disease occurring and the severity of any injury, illness

or disease that results from exposure to a hazard.

Risk assessment: Process of working out how big a risk is present and what risk factors are causing the problem.

Risk control: The process of applying appropriate prevention measures to eliminate or minimise any

risks.

Circadian rhythm: Circadian rhythms or the body clock regulates physiological and behavioural functions on a 24 hour basis. Sleep and wakefulness are programmed and sleepiness is greatest between midnight to 6 a.m. and to a lesser extent between 2-4 p.m.

Fatigue: Fatigue can be described as a progressive loss of alertness that ultimately ends in sleep.

Sleep debt: Failure to have a normal sleep results in sleep debt that accumulates and can only be paid back by undisturbed, restorative sleep.

Schedule: The pattern of driving and work covering one or more trips. For operators with rostered drivers a schedule might operate over a week or a month. For less regular or predictable situations a schedule may refer to a single trip.

Source: NTC’s Guidelines For Managing Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue August 2007

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