Fatigue Matters

Fatigue and long hours of work are a major problem in the railway industry. We have argued long and hard for legislation to limit drivers hours. Under the current political climate, ASLEF realises that we will have to achieve our goals by industrial, rather than political, means.

ASLEF's policy, agreed at our Annual Assembly of Delegates (AAD) is contained in the ASLEF Charter. We are working towards all of these policies to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our members.

To read the ASLEF booklets on fatigue issues please click on these links: Shift work, Lifestyle and Health and Rostering - best practice

Both of these are not up-to-date. Rostering - best practice is currently being updated to include the revised ORR Guidance on fatigue as of February 2012.

The 2010 AAD updated the ASLEF Health and Safety Charter. This will include a limitation of drivers hours by negotiation of the following:

• An average 32hr, 4 day week over the yearly roster cycle for all our members with special cognisance of shift patterns and fatigue. The maximum working day not to exceed 9 hours 30 minutes, or between 8 and 9 hours when working night turns of duty. There should also be protection for our members with a minimum turn length not to be lower than six hours of duty.

• All free time off from duty to be rostered consecutively, to be guaranteed and mandatory by the elimination of institutionalised overtime.

The Office of Rail Regulation have updated their 2006 guidance on Managing rail staff fatigue which provides guidance in managing fatigue risks.

HSE Fatigue and Index Calculator

This is probably the most common fatigue tool in the rail industry, and based upon published scientific literature on fatigue, alertness, sleepiness, and occupational injuries.

You can get the tool itself (an Excel Spreadsheet), and the User Guide free here

RSSB information on fatigue and shiftwork

The Rail Safety and Standards Board has produced two reports on fatigue and shiftwork, including guidelines for the management and reduction of fatigue in train drivers. Information from driver surveys and accident risk based on Signals Passed At Danger (SPADs), together with reviews of the scientific literature, were used to produce draft guidelines for the management of shift patterns, fatigue countermeasures for drivers and suggested guidelines for fatigue monitoring.

RSSB report on fatigue and shiftwork for passenger train drivers

RSSB report on fatigue and shiftwork for freight train drivers

RSSB advice on fatigue, Feeling tired? which includes a sleep quiz.