Australia Model Code of Practice: Healthcare and Social Assistance Industry 3.2a: 3.2 Manage fatigue as a hazard in its own right and as a cause of other incidents

Fatigue is an acute or ongoing state of physical, mental or emotional exhaustion and can directly harm workers (for example heart conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure) and impair judgment and reaction times, raising the risk of sharps injuries, medication errors and vehicle incidents. It is more than feeling tired, and may come from work, non-work or a combination, and from how work is rostered and changed, such as repeated sleepover shifts or switches between night and day work. The PCBU must eliminate or minimise fatigue risk as far as reasonably practicable, by providing a safe work environment (low-vibration seats, a culture that allows fatigue to be reported), safe systems of work (limits on shift length, adequate breaks between shifts, enough people rostered) and monitoring worker health and workplace conditions such as by reviewing timesheets. The duty is not removed by a worker's or client's preference for shift patterns, willingness to work extra hours or to attend when fatigued, although workers may still work extra hours or multiple jobs if they discuss fatigue risk with their manager. Rostering and staffing can be set by a client's support plan, so the PCBU may need to liaise with clients, families and funders to make sure safe rostering is funded.