How we’re helping our team members beat fatigue

Fatigue is a hazard that can lead to safety and health incidents. So at Worsley Alumina, we’re trying out new technology that promises to manage fatigue risk, reduce fatigue related safety incidents, and improve the overall wellbeing of our people.

Readiband™ is a scientifically validated wrist-activity monitor that sends information about the user’s activities to a Safety Alertness Fatigue Task Effectiveness (SAFTE) model in an app, which can predict fatigue risk and cognitive performance. This gives the wearer instant access to a predictive fatigue rating to be used before and during their shift.

The Readiband™ trial was conducted with two workgroups over a three-month period in which our participants could view their sleep pattern, the hours they were awake and their level of fatigue during this time, via their phone or tablet. Being able to personally monitor their own fatigue has increased our team members’ awareness of the risk of fatigue during their commute to and from work, during their work time and even on their days off.

The results of the trial showed that when using the Readiband™, fatigue risk in both workgroups was reduced on both the day and night shift, enabling safer and more efficient production. The ReadibandTM data also hepled some of our people realise they had sleep issues, and we referred them to a sleep specialist to help them improve their sleeping patterns.