Safe Work Australia’s new code of practice offers mining operations a clear and practical framework for effectively managing fatigue.
The nation’s mining industry has one of the highest proportions of workers logging more than 50 hours per week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Census of Population and Housing 2021. Such long hours, paired with demanding tasks, remote locations and rotating shifts, make fatigue a persistent challenge in the industry.
Fatigue – described by Safe Work Australia (SWA) as a “state of physical, mental, or emotional impairment” – can affect decision-making and reduce reaction times, while increasing the likelihood of workplace incidents.
In mining, where workers operate heavy machinery, perform tasks at height, and monitor complex processes, this level of tiredness can be a serious safety hazard.Recognising this situation, SWA has released a new model code of practice to provide practical guidance to employers on managing health and safety risks related to fatigue at work.
While fatigue is a known hazard across many industries, the risks can be amplified across the mining sector.
“Fatigue not only creates a risk to workers’ health; it also increases the risks associated with other Work Health and Safety hazards,” a SWA spokesperson told Safe to Work.
The new code, ‘Managing the risk of fatigue at work’, states that these risks can be managed by preventing workers from becoming fatigued and putting in place control measures to minimise the impacts of fatigue when it does occur.
SWA’s guideline emphasises that fatigue can arise from multiple sources. While long hours and night shifts are obvious contributors, the physical and psychological demands of tasks, the work environment, and individual worker factors are also important.
“The code … addresses all causes of fatigue [and] where it is not reasonably practicable to address one cause of fatigue, you may need to do more to control other causes,” the spokesperson said.
For example, if extreme heat or cold cannot be avoided, SWA states schedules should allow for additional breaks to reduce the risk of fatigue.
The model also stresses that managing fatigue is a shared responsibility, with both employers and workers having duties and opportunities to control fatigue risks.
Life on the fly
Certain work arrangements or conditions amplify fatigue risk in mining, with remote fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) in particular adding more strain. The new code is designed to addresses this issue by including an example on FIFO work, highlighting some of the risks associated with this kind of work and how they can be controlled.
In the mentioned case study, a mining company constructing facilities in a remote area identified fatigue as a key risk before work began and conducted a thorough risk assessment in consultation with workers, drawing on their previous experience.
The assessment revealed multiple hazards: some trialled shift designs had created fatigue risks through long working hours, long commutes from the nearest airport added to the strain, and seasonal heat and humidity increased physical demand.
Noise on site and poorly scheduled cleaning disrupted sleep, while accommodation with ineffective window treatments made resting during daylight difficult.
Alcohol availability and the requirement to operate plant and perform work at height further increased risks. To manage these hazards, the company implemented a comprehensive fatigue management strategy consistent with the code’s principles.
Maximum work hours were limited, minimum rest periods enforced, and on top of that, recovery time between shifts was planned.
Night shifts were minimised where feasible, while schedules accounted for FIFO travel, time zone adjustments, family and social impacts, and mental health considerations.
Additionally, workers were transported between the airport and site by bus to reduce commuting fatigue, and outdoor work was scheduled to avoid extreme weather, with additional breaks when necessary.
Accommodation was also designed to support rest; rooms were located away from communal areas, noisy activities scheduled outside sleep periods, and beds, soundproofing, air conditioning and blackout curtains were provided.
Alcohol availability was limited, workers were encouraged to maintain good sleep hygiene, and systems were implemented to prevent fatigue-related errors during high-risk tasks.
Putting measures in place resulted in a workforce that was rested and able to perform safely under demanding conditions.
Balancing safety and reality
Another key feature of the code is that it stresses the importance of adopting ‘reasonably practicable’ fatigue management systems.
“The concept of ‘reasonably practicable’ aims to provide the highest level of safety while allowing for the individual circumstances of different industries and roles,” the SWA spokesperson said.
“There may be circumstances where a particular control measure used in other industries is not reasonably practicable in some mining operations, but that does not remove the requirement to ensure the safety of workers. Where it is not reasonably practicable to control fatigue risks in one way, an employer may need to do more to control it in other ways.”
For example, while there is a higher risk of fatigue when working during normal sleeping hours, such as night shifts, it may not be reasonably practicable to avoid all night shift work, so the employer may need to provide longer recovery periods between shifts or more frequent breaks during shifts to minimise the risk of fatigue.
SWA believes even operators with established fatigue management systems should still review the model code to identify any new information or control measures that could further strengthen their risk management approach.
This helps to ensures schedules, accommodation, tasks, and worker engagement strategies remain effective and that fatigue is managed in line with best practice.
This feature appeared in the March-April edition of Safe to Work.