Fatigue Management Policy

Purpose. This policy establishes the fatigue risk management system that applies to drivers, allocators, forklift operators and shift workers across the business.

1.Purpose and scope

Fatigue impairs judgement and reaction time in the same way as alcohol. This policy applies to every worker but has specific requirements for heavy vehicle drivers working under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and for shift workers operating powered mobile plant.

2.Work and rest limits for drivers

Drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles will work under standard hours unless the business holds accreditation for another option. A driver must not work more than twelve hours in any twenty-four hour period and must take the rest breaks required by the standard hours schedule. Allocators must plan runs so that these limits are met, including allowance for loading delays and traffic.

• Maximum twelve hours work in a twenty-four hour period
• Minimum continuous rest of seven hours in a twenty-four hour period
• Rest breaks of at least fifteen minutes after five and a half hours of work
• Weekly limits as set out in the standard hours tables

3.Work diaries and the fatigue log

Drivers must complete their electronic work diary for every work and rest period and allocators must check it against the fatigue log each morning. Allocators will record planned and actual hours in the fatigue log and flag any driver within two hours of a limit.

4.Fitness for duty

Every driver and plant operator must declare themselves fit for duty at the start of a shift. A worker who feels fatigued must tell their supervisor and will be stood down from safety critical tasks without penalty. Supervisors must look for the signs of fatigue, including yawning, slowed responses and errors, and act on them.

5.Shift work and rostering

Rosters will provide at least ten hours between shifts and no more than six consecutive shifts. Overtime beyond two hours must be approved by the department manager and recorded. Night crew working inbound containers will be limited to eight hours.

6.Training and review

All drivers and allocators will complete fatigue management training at induction and every two years. The Safety, Compliance and Training Manager will review the fatigue log monthly and report breaches, near breaches and trends to the leadership team.