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Blog posted by: Eryl Marsh, Head of Specialist Inspection, RSD, 15 August 2024.

Fatigue at work is a pervasive issue responsible for rail accidents, including the tragedy at Clapham Junction in 1988.

The industry relies on staff working shifts, which include early morning and late evening starts, so it’s important that our understanding of the risk from fatigue in shift work continues to develop.

People who are operating when fatigued can suffer from a reduction in vigilance and attention. This can result in human error through impaired decision making, an increase in mistakes, and lapses in attention. It can lead to issues such as maintenance errors, direct errors from reduced reaction time, and can be particularly impactful in areas such as emergency decision making with fatigue slowing down the thinking process.

Fatigue is an area of worker health and safety which ORR continues to assess, and today we've published new guidance on managing fatigue among rail staff.

Fatigue risk

This revised document aims to support duty holders in complying with their legal obligations under The Health & Safety at Work Etc Act 1974, The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and The Railway and Other Guided Transport Regulations 2006.

The guidance will help industry in the assessment and control of fatigue risk by updating the management system approach and integrating ORR’s ‘Fatigue Factors’. This, in turn, will help industry identify the key features within their shift systems that increase the likelihood of fatigue, and it allows those risks to be assessed and controls identified. Optimising these factors leads to increased alertness and better health outcomes.

We will soon begin a multi-year inspection programme to determine where improvements can be made and to drive the industry forward.

Related links

Managing Rail Staff Fatigue