The Centre of Sleep Research at the University of South Australia has developed a fatigue calculator to help workers assess if they are too tired to work.

Developed by Professor Drew Dawson, head of UniSA’s Centre for Sleep Research, the calculator helps individuals recognise the likelihood of them making a fatigue related error on the job.

“Employers in high risk industries such as mining, trucking and health care need a simple way to know if their staff are fit-for-duty and how to estimate the level of risk,” says Prof Dawson.

The Fatigue Calculator takes into account two factors when determining individual fatigue levels: How long a person is going to be awake; and how much sleep they have had in the previous two days.  The answers to these simple questions are calculated to determine whether the individual is operating at a low, medium or high risk level.

“Use of the calculator has the potential to reduce the number of fatigue related incidents and accidents that occur in the workplace,” Prof Dawson said.

“Staying awake for 17 hours has the same effect on performance as having a blood alcohol level of 0.05 per cent and after 21 hours awake you demonstrate the same deterioration as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1 per cent.”

A number of mining companies are already using the calculator and have implemented it as part of their fatigue management programs.

The calculator retails for around $40 and is available at www.fatiguecalculator.com.au

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Office workers, underground miners, night shift employees and aged-care workers are more at risk of disease due to a lack of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is obtained through sunlight and a small amount from food. However, the most reliable way to top up this important vitamin is to get outside and enjoy the sunlight.

Over the past few years, the recommendations for the amount of Vitamin D we need have increased due to a growing trend of vitamin D deficiency in the general population. This has been caused by people spending less time outdoors (due to working indoors) and using lots of sunscreen which blocks Vitamin D absorption.

Luckily, in Australia due to our intense sunlight it is easy to get Vitamin D. While residents of countries such as Canada and Scotland need to have Vitamin D supplements.

Ideally, we need to spend 6-8 minutes in the mid-morning sun during summer or about 20 minutes in winter. No sunscreen required. The best places to absorb sunscreen are the hands, face and your forearms.

Interestingly, if you watch the video with Dr John Cannell talking from Stamford Universtiy you will discover the increasing evidence that people with low Vitamin D levels are more likely to suffer from a wide range of diseases. In fact, getting lots of sunlight could be the best way to avoid getting the flu.

How can you get your staff out into the sunshine?

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