Fatigue Risk Management

19.1: Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most dangerous conditions cabin crew members can suffer from, yet it's an unavoidable health issue, due to the nature of the work they do. This is especially the case on long-haul flights, when crew members are often crossing multiple time zones, causing jet lag.

Many airlines have their own Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) in place to minimize the risk of fatigue for both flight crew and cabin crew, however, no matter how many safeguards are put in place to minimize risks of fatigue in crew members, responsibility falls on crew members themselves to ensure they take precautions to minimize the risk of becoming fatigued during working hours.

One of the best ways to do this is to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a balanced and nutritious diet, alongside plenty of exercise. This helps minimize fatigue, and it reduces stress levels. However, too much exercise, particularly high-intensity workouts will be tiring and should not

be performed close to departure times. Just as important to pay attention to is sleep. Too little sleep will affect performance, and when working on long-haul flights, or frequent flying over three days, cabin crew members can develop a sleep deficit, contributing to fatigue.

Each individual will know the sleep time they require to function efficiently, and that usually ranges from between 6 hours, to 9 hours. The problem with cabin crew working hours, is that there is a disturbance to sleep patterns, therefore, it's not always possible for crew members

to get the right amount of sleep they require to function properly.

Usual contributors to interrupted sleep patterns include:

1.A higher level of stress

2.Overeating

3.Becoming dehydrated

4.The ageing process

5.Travelling east

6.Alcohol consumption

The risks of fatigue include:

1.Impaired mental judgement

2.Reduced concentration

3.Inability to focus on work tasks

4.A lack of situation awareness

5.Impaired co-ordination

There are many other serious aspects that affect the ability to carry out necessary duties during a flight, which will have the possibility of cabin crew members becoming negligent with aspects of the duties they're required to carry out, pre-flight, during the flight, and post-flight. It's for that reason cabin crew members are advised to take preventative measures to reducethe risk of fatigue affecting their ability to work.

Preventative measures include:

1.Developing good sleeping habits

2.Know and get the individual sleep requirements (number of sleep hours) you need to function efficiently

3.Wherever possible, stick to a regular wake/sleep schedule, however, due to the shift work involved in working as a cabin crew member, doing this is not always possible 

4.Practice a routine that will help induce sleep (exercise, meditation, yoga) but avoid sleep medications as the side effects can have an adverse affect on your ability to focus the following day

5.Eat light and healthy snacks, preferably containing slow-releasing carbohydrates

6.Avoid drinking caffeine close to bedtime. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, and some fizzy drinks, such as Coca Cola.

7.Don't exercise in the four hour space before you usually go to bed

8.Avoid tossing and turning in bed if you can't sleep. If you're still awake after half-an hour, get up and take a walk around, drink something healthy such as a glass of milk, and go back to bed.

9.Making lifestyle adjustments to include something to assist in relaxation after work

10.Regular exercise, but not close to bedtime, nor before going to work

A note on alcohol - For those who have developed sleep related illnesses, there have been reports of using alcohol to induce sleep, which it will do, but it will also negatively affect the quality of sleep, therefore alcohol should never be used for sleep induction.

19.2: Counter Measures

In-flight countermeasures can also be taken to reduce the risk of fatigue, and include:

1.Eating only light snacks

2.For meals, eat foods that are high in slow-releasing carbohydrates

3.In certain circumstances, there may be the opportunity to get a sleep during the flight, depending on the duration, and number of other cabin crew members on-board.

19.3: Assessing Your Fitness to Fly

1.Pilots use the IMSAFE mnemonic to assess their ability to fly.

2.Illness

3.Medication

4.Stress

5.Alcohol

6.Fatigue

7.Eating deficiencies

8.Any concerns cabin crew members have surrounding their fitness to fly, or if they're concerned about fatigue, should always be reported to the senior cabin crew member.

Module Summary

There is a risk that you will become fatigued as a cabin crew member, and this is risky for several reasons. When you are tired, you are not likely to follow all the correct safety procedures. In addition, you are unlikely to spot threats to security, health, and safety. To ensure you do not become fatigued, you need to manage your life outside of work as much as you do inside it. This module helped you learn the techniques needed to do this. In addition, we covered how to keep yourself alert during the flight, as well as whether you are likely to be able to sleep.