How to minimise shift work fatigue for construction workers

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Construction workers play an integral role in our economy and to many workplaces. Workers in this industry often work at odd hours of the day and can be at greater risk of shiftwork fatigue and its impacts.

smiling man in hi-vis in a construction site.

Did you know that people who work night shifts or varied schedules that disrupt their sleep may be more likely to develop depression than individuals with nine-to-five jobs?

Research [1] involving more than 28,000 participants showed 28 per cent were more likely to experience mental health problems than people with consistent weekday work schedules. And this is reflected in claims data which shows that in the 2018 policy year, construction was the industry with the second highest mental stress claims.

As an employer, it is important to be aware of the signs of shiftwork fatigue, so you can implement strategies to minimise and prevent its impacts.

What is shiftwork fatigue?

If you employ shift workers who work afternoons, nights, or rotating shifts, you may find they could be having difficulty:

getting to sleep
staying asleep for a required amount of time (between 7 and 9 hours)
feeling rested when woken.

This is referred to as shiftwork fatigue, a chronic sleepiness and/or an inability to sleep.

Shiftwork fatigue can result from their work roster being misaligned to their natural circadian rhythm (sleep/wake body timing), making it difficult to get to sleep. This can lead them to being fatigued, and in 'sleep debt'.

Falling behind on our sleep by just two hours, can lead to significant fatigue impacts for your workers.

Impacts of shiftwork fatigue

Lacking sleep causes an increased risk of:

Errors, injury and accidents – at work and when driving home

your movements, reactions and reflexes are slower and less accurate
thinking things through is harder, including your ability to focus and concentrate
when you are very tired you might experience a ‘microsleep’, where your brain is asleep although you appear to be awake.

Physical health impacts

physical inactivity and poor diet – it may be hard to find time, motivation and energy to exercise and more likely to eat convenient foods (takeaway)
weight gain
decreased immunity – you might find yourself getting sick more often and for longer periods of time
chronic diseases (including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and cancer).

Psychological impacts

reduced social participation – you might have difficulty maintaining relationships with friends and family members, due to lack of energy and time to be social
difficulty coping with stress, feeling overwhelmed and agitated more often
depression and poor mental health.

Reduced ability at work

less productive, struggling to focus and remember things you normally would
less engaged, motivated and committed to your work
having increased sick days.

Steps to better manage fatigue

Practice good sleep hygiene
- Practice a consistent routine for going to sleep after each shift – limit screen time, incorporate relaxation techniques (bath, meditation).

- Try to have a consistent sleep schedule – go to bed at the same time each day.

- Make your bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, quiet, comfortable and a cool temperature. Tools that can help – blackout blinds, eye masks, ear plugs, white noise.

- Maximise the time you have available to sleep before your shift and after—having a 90 minute nap between 2pm and 6pm, when on night shift can help.
Eat nutritious, quality food and think about the timing of your meals
- Eat your main meal just before your shift starts.

- Avoid large meals one to two hours before your daytime sleep, but if you need to eat, make it a small protein-rich meal.

- Prepare your meals or snacks for work to prevent buying processed and convenient foods that are less nutritious.
Stay active
- Regular exercise reduces fatigue from shiftwork overtime.

- After waking, try to get outdoors.
Minimise stress especially before trying to sleep
- Use positive strategies, such as meditation and relaxation.

- Reduce negative coping strategies – reliance on self-medications or over-indulgence.

- Maintain social relationships.
Remain alert while at work
- If possible, keep active while at work.

- Double-check your work when feeling tired, or if working with someone else, have them check to prevent accidents and errors.

- Take breaks when possible.
Communicate with your supervisor/employer
- Any impacts you are experiencing.