Worker fatigue is an ongoing concern for many organizations, but those which operate within the transportation industry must take specific care due to the nature of the work and the potential risk a fatigued employee can represent to the public. Although the railroad industry has taken specific steps to set work hour limits via elements of the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008, concern still remains in the aviation, marine and pipeline verticals.

Failing to enforce break, rest and sleep policies can pose a significant threat (for example, recent studies have revealed that driver fatigue plays a role in 10% to 30% of vehicular accidents) to both individuals and to the brand of the organization. To mitigate these risks, several transportation systems have incorporated work hour limits into existing safety requirements, including:

• U.S. Department of Transportation’s Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations 49 CFR Part 395 (for trucking and other over-the-road transportation systems)
•  46 USC Section 8104 (for maritime and shipping providers)
• Current and ongoing discussion and evaluation regarding (airline) pilot flight time, rest & fatigue

Managing the number of hours worked consecutively or over a defined period, as well as ensuring that the proper amount of rest, breaks and time off is scheduled and documented, are necessary to assure safety, increase operational efficiency and prevent employees from “burning out.”

The WorkForce Software Solution:

WorkForce Software’s EmpCenter Fatigue Management (FM) module tracks work eligibility based on defined work limits; ensures eligibility on an employee-by-employee basis; and, proactively notifies managers, supervisors and employees before a scheduling violation occurs. EmpCenter FM also automatically generates a compliance report and maintains a complete audit trail to verify the organization has taken the proper measures to adhere to any and all work rules surrounding time- and schedule-based elements of “fitness for duty” regulations or union-defined restrictions.

Additional Resources:

• Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008,
• USDOT 49 CFR Part 395
• Maritime 46 USC Section 8104
• NASA’s Fatigue Resource Directory
• Baker Donelson article Sleep Depravation Concerns in the Transportation Industry
• USDOT Human Factors Coordinating Committee