The New South Wales Resources Regulator has released a range of recommendations to the mining industry after two incidents involving worker fatigue.
In both incidents reported to the regulator, roster patterns involved long periods without days off. In the first incident, the worker had a fatigue event on their 20th consecutive 12-hour shift.
The second incident identified an electrician who was on his 10th consecutive 12.5 hour night shift. Once of the incidents involved a rolled light vehicle.
The Regulator said incidents are continuing to be reported when workers operating vehicles are affected by fatigue.
“Shift work and the nature of the mining industry require workers to have irregular and long hours in a high-risk working environment with many operations exceeding 12-hour shift lengths,” the Regulator report said.
“When a person is fatigued, they are in a state of impairment that can impact physical and or mental capacity including reduced alertness and performance.
“Identifying controls to manage the complexity and variability of fatigue is a challenge and the regulator is aware that depending on the operation, different systems of work are required.”
The Regulator recommended that mine operators:
- have assessed if fatigue is a risk for the mine
- ensure controls identified in their fatigue management plan are implemented monitored and regularly reviewed
- control measures for fatigue are consistently applied across all areas of the mine site including contractors and project works
- provide training, information and instruction to workers participating in risk assessments that address fatigue so they can effectively participate
- must provide fatigue management training and instruction about fatigue and the necessary controls to manage fatigue to all workers, including supervisors and contractors
- where reasonably practicable, fatigue monitoring systems are installed on mobile plant
- have systems in place to monitor compliance with the fatigue management plan for all workers on site i.e. staff, workers and contractors
- complete fatigue risk assessments for all workers on site that are working more than 14 hours (including travel time)
- where journey management plans are identified as a control measure, they are implemented for workers at risk e.g. workers who have a combined total of 14 hours of work and travel time.
- ensure there is a process in place to trigger the review of journey management plans.
- that if an incident occurs on site and fatigue is identified as a factor, the investigation should include a review of the fatigue risk assessment and controls in place.
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