Managing Fatigue in 2013

Author: Alertness Solutions

In 2012, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued new duty and rest requirements for commercial airlines. The rule (FAR 117) includes many notable new provisions that incorporate a scientific understanding of sleep, cumulative sleep debt, and circadian rhythms. The rule also offers a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) as an alternative or complementary approach to prescriptive duty and rest requirements.

Debate continues elsewhere, such as Europe and Canada, on devising updated rules to manage an issue which has long been recognized as a significant risk to flight safety. Early morning starts, late nights, long duty periods, changing time zones, and multiple flight segments are just some of the factors that can lead to sleep loss and reduced alertness in 21st-century aviation. While new rules for business aviation operations may come in the future, FRMS provides a flexible framework for an organization, no matter how large or small, to proactively manage its own fatigue-related risks.

The concepts of FRMS include fatigue awareness education and training, and duty/rest scheduling practices that minimize fatigue-related risks. FRMS stresses shared responsibilities amongst all stakeholders. Integrated together like a Safety Management System, FRMS can be a flexible data-driven process with mechanisms for fatigue monitoring and reporting and for continual improvement. ICAO has created a manual that further delineates FRMS processes.

A Scientific Approach to Fatigue

Fatigue is a complex physiological issue that affects different people in different ways. Effectively managing fatigue in 24/7 operations requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond simply relying on maximum allowable hours of duty and minimum hours for rest. Effective science-based duty and rest scheduling practices are a critical element that should provide for protections against extended hours awake and allow for regular and predictable sleep opportunities. The Flight Safety Foundation published guidelines for duty and rest scheduling within business aviation in 1997, and the new Part 117 regulations provide another framework for consideration in which time of day and number of flight segments are taken into account.

Education and training is another important element for any fatigue management effort. Raising awareness about the risks and costs associated with sleep loss and degraded performance alone is beneficial and should involve all members of an organization. Better understanding of the physiological mechanisms that underlie fatigue can enable individuals to make better-informed decisions in managing their sleep and alertness. Training about tools and strategies such as caffeine, napping, and light exposure can be knowledgably employed by individuals before, during, and after duty periods.

Additional policies and practices can create a truly comprehensive approach. Policies that allow an individual to “call in fatigued” or report fatigue issues during an operation can also provide a means of collecting empirical information and can lead to new practices that address an organization’s specific fatigue risks.

The latest additions to the fatigue management toolkit are computer programs utilizing algorithms based on physiological data gathered during actual operations. They offer predictive analytics of fatigue risks within an expected flight and duty schedule. While not intended as a “go”/”no go” tool when used in conjunction with other FRMS elements, such programs can provide metrics about predicted fatigue issues during a planned operation, and appropriate countermeasures can be applied.

Summary

There has been much progress in recent years in better understanding and managing fatigue risks in aviation, but fatigue remains a persistent issue. A recent survey of European pilots found that about half had involuntarily fallen asleep in the cockpit. No matter if your next flight involves a short hop or a long haul from coast-to-coast, fatigue can affect your ability to operate safely. Take action, make fatigue management part of your best practices approach, and stay alert and safe.

Alertness Solutions is TrainingPort.net’s Subject Matter Expert for fatigue management training. A US-based scientific consulting firm, they provide a variety of products and services to manage fatigue risks in all types of operations. For more information, visit www.alertsol.com.