OSH targets worker stress and fatigue

Monday 18 May 1998

Concern about the health and safety effects of worker stress and fatigue has led to the Occupational Safety and Health Service of the Department of Labour (OSH) to release a ‘best practice’ advice document.

"The publication, Stress and Fatigue: Their Impact on Health and Safety in the Workplace has been prepared for occupational health and safety, medical, ergonomic and managerial professionals, in order for them to give reasonable and practical advice to employers and employees," said OSH spokesperson Lisa-Marie Richan.

"Employers need to recognise impairment amongst their employees. Stress and fatigue can be one of those impairments," Ms Richan said. "Adopting a simple system to recognise this will ensure that employers comply with their obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act."

‘Of particular concern is shift-work, which is necessary for institutions such as hospitals, ambulance services, the police, the transport industry and many factories. Shift-work, however, can be a major provoker of fatigue and in extreme cases this fatigue can cause impairment, greatly increasing the chance of accidents," said Ms Richan.

"OSH is aware of cases of severe stress and fatigue, such as middle managers in rural areas who are limited in alternative employment options. Traditional methods of coping with the problem utilise stress management techniques or individual responses, whereas OSH’s opinion is that employers have an obligation to identify stressful workplace routines and correct them."

"Although lifestyle and personal issues can invoke and compound problems, often the workplace has ‘triggers’ which are beyond the control of the employee. Because of this, OSH believes that managers need to be vigilant in recognising, checking for, and dealing with the early signs of worker stress and fatigue before it becomes a greater health and safety problem," Ms Richan said.