Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 45
The strongest fatigue
strategies happen before
fatigue builds. Act early,
and you give yourself
more safe options.
Workplace And Fleet Driving
Safer Ways To Manage Fatigue
There is no single 昀椀x for fatigue. The best
approach is to use a mix of strategies and act
before fatigue becomes urgent.
Prevent It Before Driving
The strongest strategies happen before fatigue
builds. Plan enough time for sleep, protect your
sleep before driving, keep a workable sleep
routine where possible, manage screen time and
stimulation before bed, allow time to switch off
and plan travel and recovery.
Reduce Fatigue During The Drive
Use breaks properly, break up long periods
of monotony, move your body during stops,
check in with yourself and notice when mood,
frustration or stress are affecting alertness. A
power nap of no more than 20 minutes may also
help. Having a coffee before a power nap may
provide a double boost when you wake.
Use Alertness Boosters Carefully
Many people use music, opening a window, or air
conditioning. These can help brie昀氀y, but they are
only temporary relief. They do not 昀椀x dangerous
sleepiness. If you are drowsy while driving, stop
somewhere safe. Don’t try to push through.
For people who drive for work,
fatigue is a shared safety issue.
It can be shaped by work
demands, schedules, time on
task, workplace culture and
pressures outside work.
Common risk factors include
extended periods on task,
changing schedules, long
commutes, high risk times
of day or night, limited time
between shifts, disrupted
sleep, untreated sleep
problems, and periods of high
pressure or emotional demand.
Supervisors and organisations
can support safer fatigue
management by encouraging
check ins, treating fatigue
concerns seriously, supporting
breaks and recovery, reducing
pressure to push through
and reinforcing that fatigue
management is part of
safe work.
A safer fatigue culture is built
through repeated action, not
just safety messages.
