APGA Fatigue Management Study
As an industry that predominantly operates in harsh, remote areas and is serviced by fly-in/fly-out workers, there is little doubt that the Australian Pipeline Industry is one that is highly susceptible to fatigue and the risk that it brings.
In 2011, the Australian Pipeline and Gas Association (APGA) started out on a journey with TMS Consulting to address fatigue and lead the industry to best practice in fatigue risk management.
This journey began with a comprehensive Fatigue Management Study (FMS) on the industry. The aim of the study was to quantify fatigue and its risk factors and to profile related general health and safety factors. This was accomplished over a year by embedding a researcher onsite on a large-scale fly-in/fly-out pipeline construction project in Queensland.
The project required collecting detailed data from over 400 people using surveys, reaction time devices, sleep measuring devices, urine hydration analyses, and body measurements. Biomathematical fatigue modelling software was also used to assess work rosters, and data from OHS incident and near-miss reports and in-vehicle monitoring systems to reveal fatigue-related trends. This data, combined with industry feedback, then served as a basis for providing recommendations and areas of focus to aid effective fatigue management.
