Fatigue Risk Index Explained

This article explains the factors contributing to fatigue and risk scores generated within Gather's platform. These scores are based on the original HSE Fatigue & Risk Index calculator, adapted to meet Network Rail's Fatigue Risk Management Standard (NR/L2/OHS/003).

Risk and Fatigue Components

Both Risk and Fatigue Scores are calculated based on three key components:

Cumulative Component: This considers how individual shifts are combined to form a work schedule. The impact on this component depends on the pattern of work leading up to a particular shift.
Duty Timing and Travel Component: This estimates the incident risk associated with commute times at the beginning or end of a shift, considering both the time of day and commute length.
Intensity Calculation Component: This estimates the risk associated with work intensity, including factors like continuous work hours before breaks and average break duration.

Contributing Factors

Several factors derived from user inputs influence risk and fatigue scores. These include:

Shift Duration
Shift Type (Day/Night)
Consecutive Shifts (Shift Pattern)
Travel Time (e.g. traveling at 4am)
Travel Time to Site
Travel Time From Site
Shift Start Time
Intensity
Attention
Rest Period Between Shifts: The risk increases proportionally to the amount a rest period falls below 9 hours. Each lost hour of rest contributes to a 6% rise in risk.

User Workload and Attention

Gather allows you to set Intensity and Attention factors at a Workspace level. This scale ranges from 0 (lowest) to 3 (highest) as demonstrated below. To change these metrics, please speak to our Support Team.

Workload:
- 0: Extremely undemanding, ample spare capacity
- 1: Moderately undemanding, some spare capacity
- 2: Moderately demanding, little spare capacity
- 3: Extremely demanding, no spare capacity
Attention:
- 0: Rarely or nearly none of the time
- 1: Some of the time
- 2: Most of the time
- 3: All or nearly all the time

Exceedances highlighted in Shift Planner

The following exceedances will be highlighted when using Shift Planner:

Working hours in the last 7 days > 60
Working hours in the next 7 days > 60
Over 10 working hours in a single shift
12 or more hours door-to-door
Over 13 consecutive days of working
Fatigue Score of 35 or more
Risk Score of 1.6 or more

Common Questions

What is the Fatigue Risk Index in Gather?
The Fatigue Risk Index is a tool adapted from the HSE Fatigue & Risk Index calculator, designed to assess and manage fatigue risk in compliance with Network Rail's standards.
How are Fatigue and Risk Scores calculated?
Scores are based on cumulative work schedules, shift timing, commute duration, and intensity of work.
What factors influence fatigue and risk scores?
Key factors include shift length, start time, rest periods, and travel times.
How does shift intensity impact fatigue scores?
Higher workload and attention levels during shifts increase the fatigue risk.
Can users customize the workload and attention metrics?
Yes, these factors can be adjusted at the Workspace level by contacting the support team.