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. 2016 Jan 29;13(2):175.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph13020175.

Fatigue Risk Management: A Maritime Framework

Michelle Rita Grech  1
Affiliations

Fatigue Risk Management: A Maritime Framework

Michelle Rita Grech. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

It is evident that despite efforts directed at mitigating the risk of fatigue through the adoption of hours of work and rest regulations and development of codes and guidelines, fatigue still remains a concern in shipping. Lack of fatigue management has been identified as a contributory factor in a number of recent accidents. This is further substantiated through research reports with shortfalls highlighted in current fatigue management approaches. These approaches mainly focus on prescriptive hours of work and rest and include an individualistic approach to managing fatigue. The expectation is that seafarers are responsible to manage and tolerate fatigue as part of their working life at sea. This attitude is an accepted part of a seafarer's role. Poor compliance is one manifest of this problem with shipboard demands making it hard for seafarers to follow hours of work and rest regulations, forcing them into this "poor compliance" trap. This makes current fatigue management approaches ineffective. This paper proposes a risk based approach and way forward for the implementation of a fatigue risk management framework for shipping, aiming to support the hours of work and rest requirements. This forms part of the work currently underway to review and update the International Maritime Organization, Guidelines on Fatigue.

Keywords: fatigue; fatigue risk management, FRMS; maritime; maritime fatigue; rest hours; safety assurance; safety management; shipping; work hours.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proposed structure for IMO guidelines on fatigue [26].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Maritime Fatigue Risk Management Framework [adapted from 18,23].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Maritime fatigue risk management: Continuous improvement process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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