Guideline – Monitoring of Fatigue Risk Management Programs – Work Scheduling and Rostering

The objective of this Guideline is to assist Rail Transport Operators (RTOs) in monitoring their management of work scheduling and rostering fatigue-related risk within a fatigue risk management program (FRMP).

The guideline assumes RTOs already have a fatigue risk management system that closely aligns with ISO 31000 or AS 4360 Risk management and meets the RTO’s obligation under Rail Safety National Law.

Fatigue is a significant risk that all Rail Transport Operators have to manage as part of their Safety Management System. This new Guideline looks at Fatigue Risk Management Programs, with the intention of providing guidance on:

• A consistent approach to monitoring fatigue risk management programs as required by the Rail Safety National Law and WHS legislation;
• Identifying key data sources and metrics for analysis: and
• How to continuously improve fatigue monitoring programs.

Managing fatigue requires an ongoing approach, with systems and programs under continuous review to ensure fatigue risk is managed so far as is reasonably practical. This Guideline supports RTOs by identifying data sources and metrics that should feed into fatigue risk management programs, then explaining how that information is best used to reduce fatigue risk.

Use of this Guideline will assist RTOs to:

• Identify fatigue risks in rostering and work scheduling.
• Reduce those risks using data captured from various sources.
• Continuously improve fatigue risk management programs to better manage fatigue.

Use of this Guideline manages fatigue and the associated risks with employees working whilst fatigued.

Rail transport organizations are encouraged to review this Guideline and implement the recommendations contained within. This includes:

• Reviewing data sources and adding those not currently in use.
• Developing common metrics to the Guideline.
• Assessing the benefits and risks of over-reliance on specific data sources, such as bio-mathematical models.
• Implementing recommendations for continuous improvement.