Overview
Employee’s safety and well-being is the highest priority for MPH.
In addition to the danger to people’s immediate safety from fatigue, we acknowledge the serious longer-term health effects of fatigue on people. We acknowledge that some fatigue is expected in our industry but work to reduce it where possible and minimise the effects when it cannot be avoided.
MPH;
- Does what’s possible to ensure that dangerous fatigue is avoided; and
- Never expects people to work when dangerously fatigued; and
- Invites employees to promptly express concerns about fatigue; and
- Always considers and acts on issues employees raise around fatigue; and
- Works in line with the Award and the Fair Work Act (section 62).
Responsibility areas
Managers in the company are acutely sensitive to fatigue management issues and ensure processes to manage fatigue are followed and policies are observed day to day.
Further responsibilities apply;
| Work being undertaken | Manager / Supervisor responsible |
|---|---|
| Warehouse Technician or employees operating vehicles and plant equipment for company purposes | The employee’s direct manager (typically the Warehouse Manager or Warehouse Coordinator) |
| Lighting Technician, at the MPH warehouse | Crew and Logistics Manager |
| Lighting Technician on site, Sub-Contractors on site | The Job’s designated Technical Supervisor, supported by the Crew and Logistics Manager |
| Local crew, venue crew on site | Technical Supervisors have a joint duty of care to other staff on site, in conjunction with their manager (for example, the venue manager, local crew boss) |
| “Computer work” | The person’s nominated Manager, per the applicable Position Description. |
| Managers on-call | The manager themselves; Managing Director |
Factors contributing to fatigue
We assert that fatigue in the context of the live entertainment industry has several contributing factors, including:
- Sleep
- Poor sleep quality
- Lack of sleep
- Length of time since last sleep
- Accumulated sleep debt
- Working too many hours in a day; working too many consecutive days in a row
- Inadequate breaks between shifts
- Performing repetitious, monotonous, reactive or high-pressure work
- Poor eating and / or hydration habits
- Lack of physical fitness
- Injuries and illness (acute or chronic)
A combination of these factors may occur, making the effects of fatigue even worse.
Symptoms of fatigue
The following signs or symptoms may indicate a worker is fatigued:
- Excessive yawning or falling asleep at work
- Short term memory problems and an inability to concentrate
- Irritability; erratic or unusual behaviour
- Impaired decision-making and judgment
- Reduced hand-eye coordination; slow reflexes
- Other changes in behaviour, for example repeatedly arriving late for work
- Increased rates of unplanned absence.
A fatigued worker may experience personal symptoms not obvious to others including:
- Feeling drowsy or disconnected
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood swings
- Blurred vision or impaired visual perception
- A need for extended sleep during days off work.
Addressing fatigue
MPH has several methods for addressing fatigue:
- Scheduling working shifts and travel needs to minimise fatigue
- Having plans ready for when there are last-minute problems requiring additional working hours
- Supporting staff well-being by encouraging leave-taking and adopting a healthy lifestyle
- Ensuring high quality accommodation is provided when travelling
- Training staff to self-identify when they are fatigued, and to take mitigating steps
- Training and requiring managers to look for signs of fatigue, and to act
“Extreme work conditions”
We acknowledge that extreme work conditions are sometimes necessary and significantly contribute to people’s fatigue. Extreme work conditions include:
- Working in temperatures higher than 35°C or lower than 10°C; or in inclement weather
- Working more than 14 hours in a day
Working in extreme conditions is sometimes necessary, but we take mitigating steps to manage this work.
Risky activities for fatigued people
Some activities are riskier for fatigued people than others. A mistake or error in judgment could cause serious injury or equipment damage. Some examples include:
- Rigging work and operating chain motors
- Operating machinery (such as vehicles, forklifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts, tele-handlers)
- Working at heights
- Working with gasses, flammable or explosive substances
- Electrical work
- Directing other staff
These activities must never be performed by people who are at-risk of dangerous fatigue or are already identified as dangerously fatigued.
Less-risky activities
Less-risky activities can include:
- Floor-based work
- Computer-based work
- Work area tidy-up, organisation and cleaning
These activities can be assigned to people who are at risk of dangerous fatigue (or are already dangerously fatigued), instead of higher-risk activities.
Employee expectations around fatigue
All employees and managers are expected to actively reduce their own fatigue; employees
- Follow company fatigue management policies
- Follow directions from Supervisors regarding fatigue matters
- Raise fatigue issues with their Supervisor / Manager promptly
- Clearly, for example, “I am feeling fatigued” – never using euphemisms or vague suggestions
- Never assume others are aware of their fatigue
- Take personal responsibility for using rest periods appropriately
- Seeking rest promptly after work ends
- Practising good sleep hygiene
- Using ear plugs to reduce distracting noise at accommodation
- Requesting accommodation rooms away from noisy areas like lift-lobbies
- Notifying accommodation reception staff if daytime sleeping is required
- Take responsibility for using Meal Breaks appropriately
- Eat when time is allocated – never skip meals
- Self-cater for unusual diet requirements
- Eat well in busy work periods
- Practise self-care when at risk of fatigue
- Respect body and mind
- Plan and implement self-care routines
- Consciously relax in down-time
- Wash regularly
- Disengage from stressful conversations
- Plan family commitments before / after busy work periods
- Moderate alcohol intake
- Take prescribed medications
- Do not use illicit / recreational drugs
- Carry and consume accessible snacks on Jobs and hydrate regularly
- Wear appropriate clothing
- For example, if working outside in the sun, wear long sleeves, a broad-brimmed hat, and sunscreen
- Be conscious of affecting others’ fatigue levels
- Be respectful of their needs
- Consider the practicality of working “second jobs”
Managers and Supervisor expectations
In addition to employee responsibilities for themselves, Managers and Supervisors are expected to take the following steps to reduce fatigue issues:
- Consider future rosters when scheduling staff
- Consider Maximum Working Periods policy (part of Working Times Policy)
- Distribute work among several staff
- Consider split shifts
- Tend not to schedule flights at the start of a workday that will be longer than 12h (including flight)
- Schedule work to allow for appropriate breaks
- Breaks for rest and meals, per Working Times policy
- Not taking people off Crib Breaks unless required
- Breaks for sleeping, per Working Times policy
- Self-care
- Care for themself as a priority, so responsible decisions can be made about others
- Be hyper-vigilant under extreme working conditions
- Ensure people are dressed to the Work Attire Guidelines, are taking breaks, are eating and hydrating
- Privately and personally enquire with each crew member regarding their fatigue, at least once a day
- If the employee indicates they are fatigued, follow the process to manage the situation
- Avoid incentivising people to work longer hours
- Never use personal relationships, being in a position of power, or coercive language to manipulate employees to work through dangerous fatigue
- Consider where team encouragement crosses over into manipulation
- Err on the side of caution
If someone appears dangerously fatigued
If someone appears dangerously fatigued, the Manager / Supervisor is empowered to:
- Stop the employee from working immediately
- It is essential that human safety risks are mitigated as a priority
- Discuss the matter with the employee
- State observations leading to this interaction and allow the employee to share their opinion
- Work to understand the root cause and exacerbating factors
- Consult with others if necessary
- The Managing Director and department managers are experienced in managing people and can be a sounding board and can provide guidance
- Decide on a course of action
- Consider assigning less-risky tasks if they can be done safely
- Consider arranging a meaningful rest and recovery period (split shift)
- Consider ending the employee’s shift early
- Consider allowing a “powernap”
- Look to the future
- Consider what changes can be made to avoid a similar situation in the coming days
- Consider who else may be similarly affected
- Consider what approaches the company should change in the future (policy and process improvements)
Managers and Supervisors have a duty of care to all employees to have these interactions and make decisions for people’s safety. Decisions will always be supported by managers and the Managing Director.