Paramedics at the ambulance Victoria Branch at Sunshine are being put at risk after working fourteen hours shifts and then being required to drive directly home as there are no beds for them to rest on once their shifts are completed before they leave for home.
The premises where the branch is located was issued improvement notices in July by WorkSafe for water damage, lack of carpark security and lack of bedroom facilities. Jedda McGlinchy, the Sunshine branch OHS representative stated that a new facility has been promised since 2000 yet, no new facility has been built and no improvements in the old facility have been undertaken to ensure the safety of Paramedics who work long busy hours with no opportunity to rest.
She also stated that several paramedics forced to drive home immediately after their shift concluded they had no memory of how they got home, and there has been one accident involving a paramedic who attempted to drive home after his shift ended.
The paramedics themselves are aware that they are suffering from worker fatigue and are begging the company to provide adequate bed space so that they can complete their shifts effectively and then get some much needed rest before they get in their own cars and head out into traffic where they pose a risk of harm to themselves and to others. Yet, nothing is being done. Without management’s cooperation in this matter, workers will continue to be in jeopardy.
Fatigue Management Training For Shift Work Offers Employers Stresses The Need For Adequate Places To Rest For Employees
With many businesses scheduling workers to work night shifts that last 12 or 14 hours there is increased risk of worker fatigue resulting in accidents at the workplace or when fatigued workers attempt to drive home without having some adequate rest.
Fatigue management courses for shift work offers employers a clear understanding of what causes worker fatigue, what signs they should look for and what they need to do to help prevent or at least reduce workplace fatigue. Employers who fail to provide a safe working environment by following work safe procedures to help reduce worker fatigue may be penalized for their failure. In addition, if a worker is injured or killed due to worker fatigue that was avoidable the company could face huge penalties imposed by the court.
Making sure that your managers have the proper training in fatigue management and institute safety measures to reduce the risk posed to and by fatigued workers will help you avoid huge fines, and other consequences that could harm your business and it’s reputation. Since it is possible to receive risk management training online, there really is no excuse not to ensure that your managers have the training necessary to make sure that worker fatigue does not pose a problem in your business.
Click here to find out about our fatigue management courses.
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