Waking Up to Fatigue Factors in the Workplace

The Alberta Occupational Health Nurses Association (AOHNA) would like to invite you to join us for this unique approach for fatigue management that focuses on engaging and connecting on the topic of fatigue through education and awareness building. This awareness, combined with fatigue related operational optimization, allows for a foundation to communicate on the issue of fatigue and to develop processes to better manage the issue.

Did you know… •  Fatigue is 4X more likely to cause worker impairment than drugs or alcohol •  A fatigued employee is 3X more likely to be involved in a workplace incident •  Fatigue is estimated to cause 20% of all vehicle fatalities •  Unmanaged fatigue contributes to diabetes, obesity and heart disease •  On average, fatigue is involved in 13% of all workplace incidents

It is true!

Yet this prevalent health and safety risk is still largely under-recognized in many workplaces. Even when fatigue is identified as a workplace hazard, many supervisors and employees are not aware of existing best practices and personal mitigation strategies available to help manage it.

Fatigue can directly impact business goals through poor decision making, absenteeism, reduced productivity, short and long-term benefit costs, as well as reduced employee retention resulting in increased on-boarding and training costs.  Managing fatigue in the workplace, however, is not always an easy task.

Fatigue is an often intangible element related directly to human factors. As such, it requires a comprehensive approach that recognizes both operational factors and the need for worker education and engagement. In high-risk industries fatigue has been shown to be a significant contributor to workplace incidents. Best practices for enhancing fatigue management in your workplace begins with developing a common understanding of what fatigue is and how to manage it. True fatigue safety culture means that everyone in the workplace must work collaboratively toward comprehensive fatigue management.

By the end of this training everyone will better understand the risks fatigue creates and will be empowered with the practical strategies, tools and countermeasures needed to better manage fatigue at work and at home.

Key Speaking Points: 1.  The Issue: How Fatigue Impacts Safety and Health 2.  Understanding the Basics: Fatigue 101 3.  Workplace Issues and Barriers to Managing Fatigue 4.  How to Assess Fatigue Risks 5.  Managing Fatigue - Strategies & Best Practices

Presenter:  Susan Sawatzky, MA Ind. Psych., B. Ed, CRSP, HSA

Susan Sawatzky, MA Ind. Psych., B. Ed, CRSP, HSA, Cert. Psych. H&S Advisor, President of In-Scope Solutions, is a consultant specializing in the “People Part of Safety” specifically, focusing on Fatigue Risk Management, stress management, mental health and wellness, Psychological Health and Safety in the workplace, harassment prevention, and enhancing healthy workplace cultures.  Susan has over a decade of experience in providing expertise in consulting, assisting clients in recognizing and assessing operational risks, creating comprehensive risk management strategies, and fully implementing strategic approaches by enhancing existing safety cultures. Her previous education background allows her to create high quality, engaging training for all attendees.  Susan has worked with industry associations and several of the certifying partners to assist various industries in enhancing safety programs. She has worked with a wide range of industries including oil and gas, mining and resource extraction, nuclear, large utilities, manufacturing, transportation, construction and more. She previously managed the fatigue portfolio for the Canadian oil and gas industry.

Susan is an instructor with the University of New Brunswick, the University of Alberta, and the University of Calgary, instructing Fatigue Management, Management of Health and Safety Systems, Effective Workplace Training and Psychological Health and Safety, among other courses in their various OHS Programs.  Susan is also an international speaker and keynote conference presenter. She has presented for over a hundred conferences and organizations with notable clients including the American Society of Safety Professionals, the Global Conference on Fatigue Management and NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration).