Fatigue Management Policy

[Ben]

Hi All, Can anyone point me in the right direction to some guidelines on developing a good policy for managing fatigue. Alternatively, if someone is willing to share their ships or companies policy I would be very grateful. Ben.

[anchorman]

Hi All, Can anyone point me in the right direction to some guidelines on developing a good policy for managing fatigue. Alternatively, if someone is willing to share their ships or companies policy I would be very grateful. Ben.

I would use the recently ratified version from STCW 2010 amendments, which I think is more strict than the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted the Seafarers’ Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention, 1996 (No.180) which provided the limits for maximum hours of work and minimum periods of rest for seafarers working onboard seagoing ships.

5. HOURS OF REST
5.1. The minimum hours of rest shall be not less than:
5.1.1. Ten hours (10hrs) in a 24-hour period; and, 5.1.2. Seventy hours (70 hours) in any 7-day period.
5.2. Hours of rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which shall be at least six hours in length and such reduction shall not extend beyond 2-days.
5.3. The requirements for rest periods laid down herein need not be maintained in the case of an emergency or drill or in other overriding operational conditions.
5.4. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 5.1.1. and 5.1.2., the minimum period of ten hours may be reduced to not less than 6 consecutive hours provided any such reduction shall not extend beyond two days and not less than 70 hours of rest are provided each seven day period.

[Steamer]

Hi All, Can anyone point me in the right direction to some guidelines on developing a good policy for managing fatigue.

Pardon the huge dose of cynicism but academics and the military have been doing fatigue studies since the very early 1900s. Government agencies that have the power to create regulations to adapt the findings of those studies have ignored them since the early 1900s.

Companies support politicians who support more studies, they do not support politicians who support laws based on the recommendations of those studies.

The very concept of a "good policy for managing fatigue" is an oxymoron. If someone has a policy manual that begins with that statement it might be worth reading, otherwise you will just end up with another piece of fiction that avoids the real solutions and simply reinforces the firewall between those who can actually make changes and those who would benefit from them.

[Ben]

Steamer, I generally share your cynicism. What I was aiming at however was more along the lines of crew being able to recognise signs of fatigue in themselves and their shipmates and what you should do in these situations.

[tengineer]

Steamer, I generally share your cynicism. What I was aiming at however was more along the lines of crew being able to recognise signs of fatigue in themselves and their shipmates and what you should do in these situations.

You could tell them to go take a nap when they sit around looking like zombies but sleeping while on watch is generally frowned upon by management.
Without regulation to restrict work hours there will NEVER be a change and fatigue will continue to cause death and disaster in the marine industry. The cutting of crews and increasing of work hours has been going on for years.
I have one question. How does the pay, the work hours, number of days off and living conditions for mariners among US operated offshore companies compare with their Norwegian and other first world countries counterparts working in the Gulf of Mexico?

[ShipCapt1]

While I consider the USCG part of the problem by allowing the reduction in crew sizes and exploitation of the working mariners by the companies that turn a blind eye to the regulations that currently exist (CFR and STCW), the USCG Crew Endurance Mgt website has some good links to fatigue information and training. Check it out. It includes some of the information you mentioned you were looking for.
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5211/cems.asp

[injunear]

Steamer, I generally share your cynicism. What I was aiming at however was more along the lines of crew being able to recognise signs of fatigue in themselves and their shipmates and what you should do in these situations.

I never had any problem recognizing fatigue. When your a$$ is dragging, that's a good indicator.

After overtime was taken out of our contract because "by law we could work no more than 36 out of 72 hours", the work load and paperwork continued to increase. The engine room issues fell on deaf ears at the table. The patented answer was that "I needed to learn to better manage my time". I did...I retired...

[tengineer]

The geniuses that decided a 12 hour day was the norm for mariners was not concerned with fatigue. Mariners for some strange reason are exempt from the wage and hour laws governing those who work in the office that employs them. By the time you factor in pre-work meetings, safety meetings etc which are required the average mariner works over 90 hours in each 7 day period. That's 50 hours of overtime for the land based worker.
Want to know how to recognize fatigue? Look at any mariner after he/she has been working a few days. They are accidents waiting to happen.

[Kennebec Captain]

I keep the STCW record of work hours easily accessible in the wheelhouse and have the mates keep it current. Work schedules can be adjusted on the fly.

The USCG CEM is a good resource and there is usually some low-hanging fruit, some improvements have low cost but at a certain point it becomes a question of risk management. On the one hand there is the risk of a senior crew member making an error due to fatigue but on the other hand there is the risk that an inexperienced junior officer or unlicensed crew will make an error doing a job traditionally left up to more senior or licensed crew.

[New Orleans Lady]

provigil is a prescribed medication indicated for shift work sleep disorder {sleepiness during scheduled waking hours and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep during scheduled sleeping hours} originally patented, for fighter pilots, during the gulf wars <thats why it s so expensive> . Insurance companies, require, pre certification, for its use;however are required to cover it, if adequate documentation, is provided, by a M.D. <just an FYI,,,I ll remain out of this thread for you gents>

[KneelbeforeZod!]

Hi All, Can anyone point me in the right direction to some guidelines on developing a good policy for managing fatigue. Alternatively, if someone is willing to share their ships or companies policy I would be very grateful. Ben.

We recently tried a new watch rotation on my ship. It seemed to work fine and the officers seemed better rested. Here is a link to a site that I found useful.

http://www.nautinst.org/fatigue/infoGuidance.htm

[captbbrucato]

[QUOTE=KneelbeforeZod!;41351]We recently tried a new watch rotation on my ship. It seemed to work fine and the officers seemed better rested.

What was the NEW WATCH rotation? Were more personnel added to the crew?

[KneelbeforeZod!]

No new personnel. One 3/O stood from 00-06 and 08-10. The 2/O stood from 06-08 and 12-18. The other 3/O stood from 10-12 and 18-24. The only time I was uncomfortable was if I tried to take a nap between 06-08. I would be a little groggy when I got up to the bridge, but it wore off quick.

[KneelbeforeZod!]

provigil is a prescribed medication indicated for shift work sleep disorder {sleepiness during scheduled waking hours and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep during scheduled sleeping hours} originally patented, for fighter pilots, during the gulf wars <thats why it s so expensive> . Insurance companies, require, pre certification, for its use;however are required to cover it, if adequate documentation, is provided, by a M.D. <just an FYI,,,I ll remain out of this thread for you gents>

Have you used it? I like to use melatonin when I know I have to make the most of a rest period. It's all natural and does'nt have any side effects (for me).

[Deuce]

Have you used it? I like to use melatonin when I know I have to make the most of a rest period. It's all natural and does'nt have any side effects (for me).

I used it to get through a lot of my upgrade schooling and testing. It was very subtle but seemed to work well. I found that I just kind of zoned in more on what I was doing and didn't seem to get as tired when studying for long hours.