Fatigue in the workplace: causes and countermeasures

Abstract

Many workers are exposed to fatigue risk that they would rarely encounter outside their job. This paper discusses the current state of occupational fatigue research, providing a snapshot of the evidence on its causes and an overview of occupational health and safety approaches to its management. Frameworks for managing other hazards and risk in workplaces are applicable to occupational fatigue and have spurred the development of new regulatory approaches for fatigue. Although our understanding of the causes of occupational fatigue is improving, there is as yet little research evaluating fatigue risk management systems and countermeasures.