1. Purpose

•  Raise awareness of fatigue risks for employees and drivers.
• Highlight shared responsibilities in managing fatigue.
• Provide preventative and mitigative actions to ensure safe operations.
• Ensure compliance with Transport for London (TfL) PHV guidance and industry best practice.

2. Scope

1.  Employees working at offices, facilities, or remote sites supporting the company operations.
2.  Employees working in remote locations require long drives.
3.  Drivers undertaking private hire operations or transportation services.
4.  Employees undertake business travel, including air travel, rental vehicles, or commuting as part of their roles.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

3.1 Team Leaders / Managers

• Ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all workers.
• Take reasonable steps to eliminate or mitigate fatigue risks.
• Annually review hazard assessments and improve fatigue management processes.
• Prevent workers from working excessive hours.

3.2 Employees / Contractors

• Arrive at work adequately rested and ready for duty.
• Recognize personal limits and avoid unsafe work while fatigued.
• Self-report fatigue concerns before or during work.
• Keep track of working hours and alert team leaders if you approach the limits.

3.3 Drivers

• Ensure fitness for duty, including freedom from excessive fatigue.
• Understand that driving fatigued endangers life.
• Take regular rest breaks, and employ mitigation measures (e.g., short naps, hydration, coffee) as needed.
• Follow TfL guidance on health, wellbeing, and fatigue management.

4. Fatigue Principles

4.1 Work-Related Breaks

•  Reduce continuous driving or working time.
• Encourage frequent breaks to maintain alertness.

4.2 Recovery and Sleep

•  Ensure adequate sleep opportunities between work periods.
• Maximize nighttime sleep where possible.
• Minimize shifts ending between 00:00–06:00.
• Avoid extended shifts.

4.3 Reset Breaks

•  Provide extended breaks (≥30 hours, including two nights) between sequences of work to prevent accumulated fatigue.

5. Workplace Fatigue Risks

Factors influencing fatigue include:
• Work-related: long hours, insufficient breaks, harsh environments.
• Lifestyle: poor sleep quality, family responsibilities, commuting stress.
Mitigation:
•  Adequate staffing, clear schedules, realistic workload expectations, and support for commuting and off-duty activities.

6. Fatigue Signs and Effects

Signs of Fatigue:

• Headaches, dizziness
• Difficulty keeping eyes open
• Constant yawning
• Muscle weakness, lack of energy

Immediate Effects:

• Reduced concentration, slower reactions
• Increased errors and impaired decision-making
• Lower immune function

Long-Term Effects:

• High blood pressure, heart disease
• Depression, anxiety
• Diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders

7. Fatigue Mitigation

Sleep:

• Adults require 7–8 hours of continuous sleep daily.
• Sleep debt accumulates with insufficient rest; only additional sleep can offset it.

Rest Periods:

• Take regular breaks during work; a 15-minute break is recommended every 2–4 hours, especially in extreme conditions.

Work Limitations:

• Use scheduling tools to avoid excessive hours.
• Clearly define work types and maintenance planning to reduce conflict and stress.

8. Working Hours and Limits (TfL-Aligned)

General Employees:

• Do not exceed 14 hours of on-duty work in any 24-hour period (including commute).
• Do not exceed 60 hours in a rolling 7-day period.
• If exceeded, provide a minimum of 24 hours off-duty.

Drivers:

• Maximum 10 hours driving in a rolling 24-hour period.
• Mandatory 30-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving.
• Attempt 15-minute breaks every 2 hours where feasible.

Business Travel:

•  Total travel time (personal/rental vehicles, airport commute, flight) should not exceed 14 hours in 24 hours.

Exceeding Limits:

• Extraordinary situations must be pre-approved by the Team Leader and the District Manager.
• Discuss mitigation strategies for fatigue and follow up with documentation.

9. Employee Information, Training, and Support

• Employees can contact the Health Service Advisor for fatigue-related concerns.
• Recommended online training modules via MyTalent & Learning system: o Understanding & Managing Your Sleep Health o Managing Fatigue
• Regular awareness and training ensure alignment with TfL safety guidance.

10. Policy Compliance

• Adherence to this policy is mandatory for all staff.
• Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from driving duties.
• The company reserves the right to review and update this policy in line with TfL guidance and best practice.