More than feeling tired
Safe Work Australia describes fatigue as more than feeling sleepy, tired and drowsy. It affects physical abilities such as coordination, strength and reaction time; mental abilities such as decision-making and concentration; and emotional ones, such as engaging with others or managing anger and frustration.
The health effects reach further. Its overview says fatigue can contribute to heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, among other conditions, and can aggravate existing health issues. SafeWork NSW puts the safety side in a comparison: being awake for 17 hours impairs performance at work to the same level as a blood alcohol content of 0.05, and 20 hours to the same level as 0.1.
Safe Work Australia adds that managing the risk of people becoming fatigued generally reduces risk more effectively and reliably than dealing with the effects once someone already is.
Where fatigue comes from
Work hours and shift design
Long hours, working nights or at other times people would normally sleep, and too little chance to sleep or rest.
Tasks, equipment, environment
Physically or mentally hard work, too much to do for the time and resources, repetitive tasks, and uncomfortable workplaces, such as too hot, loud or with poor air quality.
The individual
Time since last sleep, age, general health, sleep disorders, second jobs, and whether someone is a “morning” or “evening” person.
SafeWork NSW lists the workers at higher risk: shift workers, night workers, fly-in fly-out and drive-in drive-out workers, seasonal workers, on-call and call-back workers, emergency service workers, medical and other health workers, and legal professionals and IT consultants, particularly those working on billable hours. For heavy vehicle drivers and rail, it points to separate guidance from the National Transport Commission and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator.
Rosters: the examples regulators give
Safe Work Australia offers examples of ways to manage fatigue risk, and is plain that not all of them will be reasonable in every workplace. Where one way is not reasonable, more may be needed elsewhere: if long shifts cannot be avoided, more breaks or more control over the pace of work. On working hours and shift design, its examples are:
- limit the length of shifts, and allow at least 12 hours to recover between them
- keep weekly hours down, cap how many days are worked in a row, and give at least one full day off each week
- don’t contact workers outside their working time
- keep shift patterns as regular as you can, and don’t change them at the last minute
- give breaks during shifts that are regular and flexible
- avoid rostering work in the hours when workers would usually be asleep
- where night work is necessary: limit consecutive night shifts to 3, avoid safety-critical work between 2 am and 6 am, and give as much notice as possible so workers can adjust their sleep
- An illustrative shift, 8 am to 6 pm, drawn for this guide
- The 12 hours after it, the recovery time in Safe Work Australia’s example
- 2 am to 6 am, when its example says to avoid safety-critical work
Drawn for this guide as an illustration of the examples above, not a rule or a recommended roster.
SafeWork NSW’s list for employers adds a forward-rotation shift system, minimising sequential night shifts, and enough time off after a run of nights for shift workers to overcome their sleep debt. Fatigue also links to other hazards: Safe Work Australia’s list includes addressing psychosocial hazards such as conflict or poor role clarity, covered in psychosocial hazards at work.
Who must do what
| The PCBU must | Workers must |
|---|---|
| eliminate or minimise fatigue risks as much as it reasonably can | take reasonable care of their own health and safety, for example using the chances they have to sleep so they are fit for work |
| consult workers and any health and safety representatives about fatigue risks and how they will be managed | take reasonable care not to harm others, for example not driving while fatigued |
| consult, cooperate and coordinate with other businesses that share a duty to manage fatigue | follow reasonable instructions, such as taking regular breaks, and cooperate with notified policies, such as on second jobs or telling a manager when fatigued |
Safe Work Australia says a PCBU should prevent workers becoming fatigued as well as manage the added risks from fatigued workers, such as a crash when a fatigued worker drives or operates machinery. It notes that workers are more likely to report fatigue accurately when they know how the business will respond and are confident they will not be punished, and that where there is concern a worker may be fatigued, they should not be directed or allowed to carry out high-risk tasks. SafeWork NSW says a fatigue policy is not mandatory, but that employers should develop one with their workers. The duties behind this table are explained in the WHS duty of care.
After hours: the right to disconnect
Safe Work Australia’s roster list includes avoiding contact with workers outside work time. Employment law now speaks to the same moment. The Fair Work Ombudsman says that, outside their working hours, employees may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from an employer or a third party, including attempts at contact, unless the refusal is unreasonable. The rules do not make out-of-hours contact unlawful.
The right has applied since 26 August 2024 for employees of employers with 15 or more employees, and since 26 August 2025 for employees of small business employers, those with fewer than 15. Whether a refusal is unreasonable turns on factors that must be considered, including:
- the reason for the contact, and how it is made and how disruptive it is
- how much the employee is paid for being available, or for working extra hours
- the employee’s role, and how much responsibility it carries
- their personal circumstances, such as caring or family responsibilities
Refusing is unreasonable where the contact is required by law. Disputes should first be discussed at work, and can then go to the Fair Work Commission. An employer must not stop an employee from using the right, which is a workplace right under the general protections laws.
In Victoria, WorkSafe Victoria’s fatigue page notes that it has not yet been updated for the new psychological health regulations that took effect on 1 December 2025, so check the regulator’s current guidance there. Time away from work after an injury or illness is covered in returning to work.