Department of
Transport
Fatigue Management
A Code of Practice for the
West Australian Taxi Industry
WHY IS THERE A
CODE OF PRACTICE?
Without proper management, fatigue can
be a major hazard in the Western Australian
Taxi Industry.
The management of fatigue is an Occupational
Safety & Health (OS&H) issue. The Occupational
Safety & Health Act 1984 (Act) provides for the
promotion, coordination, administration and
enforcement of occupational safety and health in
Western Australia.
Many people think of OS&H as being the
responsibility of big companies. However, the Act
also defines OS&H as being the responsibility of
self -employed people:
“a self – employed person should take
reasonable care to ensure his or her own
safety and health at work and ensure that
their work activity does not result in harm to
another person,”
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.
In addition, under Section 57 of the Act the
Commissioner for Occupational Safety & Health
encourages the establishment and registration
of Industry Codes of Practice which have been
developed through wide consultation between
industry stakeholders.
This Code of Practice is a guide for taxi
companies, owners and drivers alike, to make
sure that everyone understands what fatigue is,
how it can affect the safety of taxi drivers and their
passengers and what can be done to prevent it.
It also sets out a number of standards regarding
fatigue management and hours of work. In the
absence of any specific legislation, these serve
as benchmarks against which taxi companies,
operators and drivers can assess whether or not
they have fulfilled their duty of care.
This Code of Practice has been developed in
consultation with key industry stakeholders.
WHAT IS FATIGUE?
Fatigue is a general term used to describe a
feeling of being tired, drained or exhausted.
In the context of vehicle control, it is
accompanied by poor judgement, slower
reactions and decreased skill levels.
Importantly, fatigue can impair a driver's
judgement of his or her own state of fatigue.
Many people drive taxis as a second job, while
other drivers may feel the need to work long hours
to maintain their family and/or lifestyle.
These drivers may well be putting themselves and
others in harm’s way every time they drive a taxi,
unless they know what causes fatigue and how to
avoid it.
Well-documented indicators of fatigue are:
• Not feeling refreshed after sleep.
• Falling asleep at work.
• Loss of concentration at work, leading to
increased errors or lack of awareness of
danger (eg drifting out of lane when driving).
• Poor visual perception - even hallucinations in poor light/weather conditions.
• The need for extended sleep during days off.
• The need for frequent naps in leisure time.
The major causes of fatigue are:
• Insufficient sleep.
• Undertaking physically demanding work.
• Working excessive hours in one shift.
• Insufficient rest breaks during a shift.
• Working too many shifts in succession without
rest days.
• Working prolonged hours at “unnatural” times,
thereby disrupting the “body clock”. Even for
people who regularly work night shifts, the
human body wants to sleep during periods
of darkness. The risk of falling asleep at the
wheel increases in the pre-dawn hours and
there is also an increased risk during the midafternoon “siesta” hours.
• Poor quality sleep, sleep patterns or specific
physical conditions such as sleep apnoea.
Symptoms of poor sleep include drowsiness,
blurred vision, excessive yawning and head
nodding.
• In addition to work, a hectic social life or
extensive family commitments can also
contribute to fatigue.
Ways to avoid fatigue:
• Take plenty of rest breaks.
• Remember that artificial aids such as loud
radios, bright lights or “blowy” air-conditioners
do not work for long.
• Don't rely on the prolonged use of stimulants
such as caffeine drinks or drugs.
• If you feel sleepy, stop work and take a
20-minute “power nap”. If this does not work
then go home and get some proper rest.
• Heed the warning of “micro sleeps”. If you
suddenly realise that you may have “nodded
off", even for one second, stop work
immediately and get some rest.
• When switching from day to night shifts (or
vice-versa) take a 24-hour break in between.
• Get 7.5 hours quality sleep every 24 hours.
Whenever you miss out on sleep you incur a
debt in your “sleep bank”. When you get the
chance, sleep for longer to eliminate the debt.
• Make sure you get quality sleep. If you are
unable to sleep well, see your doctor.
• Do not exceed the hours of work rules shown
below. If driving a taxi is a second job for you,
make sure you also include the hours you
work at your first job in your calculations.
• When doing any calculations, start the 24-hour
period from when you woke up – not from
when you started work.
Recommended Hours of Work
Listed below are various recommended work/rest
cycles. Choose the one most appropriate to your
preferred work schedule.
• Drivers should not exceed 14 hours of
operation (including breaks) in any shift.
• Drivers should have a 10-hour continuous
break in every 24 hours.
• Work time for drivers should not exceed 168
hours, spread over 12 days, in any 14-day
period.
• If working a 28-day cycle the cycle should
contain a minimum of four 24-hour breaks. It
is preferable that the breaks are evenly spaced
throughout the 28 days.
• If a driver works for 24 days without a break
then he or she must take 4 days off.
Industry Fatigue Management Plan
1) The Department of Transport shall not impose
any regulation or condition that requires a taxi
driver to work in excess of the maximum hours
outlined in the recommended hours of work.
2) Taxi Dispatch Service companies shall, as far
as is reasonably practical, have procedures in
place to ensure that all taxi operators/drivers
do not work in excess of the maximum hours
outlined in the recommended hours of work.
3) Taxi owners/operators shall, as far as is
reasonably practicable, have plans in place to
ensure that all their drivers are fit to work at the
start of their shift (ie. they are not fatigued). For
example, owner/operators could ensure they
do not lease their vehicle out to a driver for
periods of time in excess of the recommended
hours of work.
4) Taxi drivers should not start a shift if, by doing
so, they will be in breach of the recommended
hours of work..
5) Taxi drivers should not start a shift if they
believe they are excessively fatigued.
6) Taxi drivers should keep a record of their hours
of work and stay within the recommended
hours of work.
7) The Department of Transport shall ensure that
all taxi drivers are effectively trained in fatigue
management prior to being issued with a
licence.
8) Authorised Taxi Dispatch Service (TDS)
companies shall continuously support and
promote the industry’s Code of Practice
on Fatigue Management. For example, any
contract or agreement between the TDS and
a licensed taxi operator could contain a clause
referring to fatigue management.
9) All taxi drivers should be aware of their
responsibilities under the Occupational Safety
& Health Act, which states, “a self-employed
person should take reasonable care to ensure
his or her own safety and health at work and
ensure that their work activity does not result
in harm to another person”.
Remember, no matter how hard you try to
stay awake, sooner or later fatigue will put
you to sleep.
DON'T BE BEHIND THE WHEEL
WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO YOU!
For more information
Passenger Services Business Unit
Telephone: 1300 660 147
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.transport.wa.gov.au/taxis
Published on behalf of the WA Taxi Industry. The Department of
Transport gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Work Safe in
the creation of this document.
The information contained in this publication is provided in good
faith and believed to be accurate at time of publication. The State
shall in no way be liable for any loss sustained or incurred by
anyone relying on the information. 050813