Hamilton By Design – Fatigue Management Policy
1. Purpose
Hamilton By Design is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and productive work environment.
The purpose of this Fatigue Management Policy is to identify, assess, and manage fatigue-related risks to ensure work is performed safely and effectively.
Fatigue can impair judgement, reaction time, decision-making, and situational awareness. In engineering and site-based environments, unmanaged fatigue presents a significant safety risk.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- Employees
- Directors and officers
- Contractors and consultants
- Subcontractors
- Any person performing work on behalf of Hamilton By Design
This policy applies to office work, remote work, travel, and site-based activities, including shutdowns and extended work periods.
3. Definition of Fatigue
Fatigue is a state of physical and/or mental exhaustion that reduces a person’s ability to perform work safely and effectively.
Fatigue may result from:
- Long work hours
- Insufficient sleep or rest
- Extended travel or commuting
- High mental workload or sustained concentration
- Night work or early starts
- Poor work-life balance
4. Responsibilities
4.1 Hamilton By Design
Hamilton By Design will:
- Plan work to minimise fatigue risk
- Monitor working hours, travel demands, and workload
- Avoid scheduling excessive hours where practicable
- Ensure fatigue risks are considered when planning site work and shutdown activities
- Encourage open communication regarding fatigue concerns
- Take reasonable action where fatigue risk is identified
4.2 Workers
All workers are responsible for:
- Presenting fit for work and adequately rested
- Managing personal fatigue and wellbeing
- Not performing work when fatigued to the point it may affect safety
- Reporting fatigue concerns to management as soon as practicable
- Following client and site-specific fatigue management requirements
5. Working Hours and Rest
To manage fatigue, Hamilton By Design will, where reasonably practicable:
- Plan work schedules to allow adequate rest between shifts
- Consider cumulative fatigue during extended or consecutive workdays
- Manage travel to avoid excessive driving hours, particularly after long workdays
- Allow rest breaks during prolonged periods of work or travel
Workers must take reasonable steps to ensure they obtain sufficient sleep and rest prior to performing work.
6. Travel and Remote Work
Hamilton By Design recognises that travel and remote work can significantly contribute to fatigue.
- Travel time will be considered when planning work schedules
- Workers must not drive or operate vehicles when fatigued
- Alternative arrangements (rest breaks, overnight accommodation, or schedule changes) will be implemented where practicable
- Remote and isolated work will be planned to minimise fatigue risk
7. High-Risk and Safety-Critical Work
Additional fatigue controls may be implemented for:
- Shutdowns and time-critical work
- Work requiring high levels of concentration or judgement
- Site activities with elevated safety risk
Where fatigue is identified as a risk, work may be modified, delayed, or suspended.
8. Reporting Fatigue
Workers are encouraged to report fatigue without fear of reprisal.
- Fatigue reports will be treated seriously and confidentially
- Reporting fatigue will not result in disciplinary action when raised in good faith
- Early reporting helps prevent incidents and injuries
9. Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with this policy may result in:
- Removal from work duties or site
- Review of work arrangements
- Disciplinary action where applicable
- Termination of engagement in serious or repeated cases
10. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with:
- Australian WHS legislation
- Client and site requirements
- Industry best practice
11. Commitment
Hamilton By Design is committed to managing fatigue proactively to protect the safety, wellbeing, and performance of all people engaged in our work.
Approved by:
Hamilton By Design Management
Effective Date: 06/12/2006
