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Focus on Fatigue & Maritime Operations
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, & Response Program January 2009
Fatigue and Maritime Operations WHY IT MATTERS

Sleep is a basic human need. Fatigue is the degradation of Sleep is a basic human need
performance associated with the basic human need for sleep. and performance can be
severely affected by lack of
Fatigue and the need for sleep are too often viewed as sleep. Without proper sleep, the
weaknesses. Our modern, 24-hour-a-day, just-in-time, jet-lagged, crews’ performance can be
technologically-driven world promotes fatigue. Accidents occur compromised thereby creating
in all fields of endeavor as a consequence of fatigue. a safety hazard for the ship.
Data indicates that accidents
Some well-known cases of fatigue-related accidents in the occur more often when we are
maritime industry include the grounding of the tankers WORLD fatigued.
PRODIGY and EXXON VALDEZ. A July 2004 study (“Bridge
Watchkeeping Safety Study”) by the Marine Accident Contact information:
Investigation Branch of the United Kingdom’s Department for Washington Dept. of Ecology
Transport reported that “A third of all the groundings involved a Spill Prevention, Preparedness,
fatigued officer alone on the bridge at night.” and Response Program
Spill Prevention Section
In Washington State, fatigue was a factor in a number of bunker PO Box 47600
spills. In two accidents, tow vessel operators literally fell asleep at
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
the helm, grounding a barge in 1995 and substantially damaging
Phone: 360-407-7455
the structure of a heavily used highway bridge in 2000.
Fax: 360-407-7288
There are many misconceptions about fatigue and the need for
sleep, including:
• “I know how tired I am.” Wrong. Since fatigue impairs all
mental functions, including perception, people consistently
underestimate their levels of fatigue.
• “I’ve been awake this long before with no problem.” Wrong.
The body’s natural sleep rhythms are complex and subject to a
variety of factors. Do not assume that because you stayed
awake for a long period without incident you can safely
repeat the experience—it is possible you were just lucky.
• “If I drink coffee I’ll stay awake with no problem.” Wrong.
Caffeine’s effect is temporary (3 to 4 hours), and those who
drink caffeinated beverages regularly experience less of a
stimulant effect over time. In addition, once the stimulant
Special accommodations:
effects have worn off, you may experience a “rebound effect”
If you need this publication in
and be even more fatigued. Stimulants such as caffeine can
an alternate format, call the
also degrade the quality of sleep you experience. Spills Program at 360-407-
A number of fatigue-related effects have been identified: 7455. Persons with hearing
loss, call 711 for Washington
“Lapses” (failures to respond, slow responses, and inappropriate Relay Service. Persons with a
responses), decreased performance consistency, slowed reactions, speech disability, call 877-833-
increased mental errors, decreased memory and recall, decreased 6341.
vigilance, and increased risk-taking behavior.
Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 1

The insidious nature of fatigue is that, since all mental functions are affected, the ability to
recognize and compensate for the effects is decreased. There may be no warning before a fatigued
individual experiences the occurrence of a lapse or the onset of sleep. When signs and symptoms
do appear they may include forgetfulness, poor decision-making, inattention to essential duties,
poor communication, and fixation on a single task or decision.
Social interaction, such as conversation, tends to stimulate a fatigued individual temporarily, which
may mislead a supervisor making important staffing decisions. It is necessary to understand the
causes of fatigue to properly identify fatigued individuals whose sleep deprivation may
compromise vessel safety and performance.
Fatigue stems from a variety of sources, but all relate to the need to sleep. Some common fatigue-
inducers include:
• Sleep disorders. There are a number of sleep disorders, but the most common disorder (4
percent to 9 percent of the U.S. population) is sleep apnea. Apnea is the cessation of breathing
during sleep. This cessation causes a person to arouse from a deep state of sleep so breathing
can resume. Snoring may be a symptom of apnea. Individuals who are overweight and snore
may be at increased risk for apnea.
• Jet-lag. When people cross time zones the body’s internal clock is disrupted by the rapid change
in daylight hours. This mismatch between the body’s accustomed sleep time and the sleep time
and daylight in the new time zone can degrade mental and physical functioning.
• Changes in work shifts. As with jet-lag, changes in work hours disrupt our body’s normal cycle
of wakefulness and sleep and can degrade mental and physical functioning.
• Sleep deficit. Inadequate sleep can result in the accumulation of a “sleep debt” which can only
be “repaid” by sleeping.
• Drug and alcohol effects. Many drugs and alcohol have sedative effects on the body. Drugs and
alcohol may also induce fatigue because they disrupt normal sleep patterns, reducing the
quality and/or quantity of sleep.
There are a number of ways to help prevent fatigue

For individuals these include:
• Make quality sleep time a priority (don’t let other activities intrude).
• Make your sleep space as conducive to sleep as possible (e.g. dark and quiet).
• Maintain total sleep time by whatever means possible (7 to 8 hours of sleep is typically needed
to ensure adequate rest). If you cannot get your accustomed sleep all at once, try to make time
for a nap. [Note: After sleep, ensure you leave adequate time to regain your alertness prior to
undertaking your duties.]
• Avoid using sleep-disruptive and sleep-inducing drugs and alcohol.
• Maintain a record of you sleep time. If you are getting inadequate rest, bring it to your
supervisor’s attention.
For managers and supervisors these include:

• Make thoughtful and informed decisions about scheduling—understand how improper
scheduling can induce fatigue.
Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 2 Please reuse and recycle

• Research and consider alternative watch schedules that ensure adequate rest by allowing for
periods of uninterrupted sleep closer to the 7 to 8 hours required by most people.
• Provide a good sleeping environment for crew members.
• Make the availability of adequate sleep periods for crewmembers a priority.
• Consider sleep needs when making manning decisions, avoiding short- and minimum-
manning.
• Use a team approach (bridge resource management, for instance), where possible, to prevent
the fatigue of a single crewmember from impeding safety.
• Consider requiring a minimum of two persons on watch in the wheelhouse at night.
• Provide sufficient time for crewmembers to adjust their internal sleep clock before they are
required to assume safety-dependent duties, for example when a vessel master travels through
multiple time zones to relieve another master.
• Listen to and address crewmember concerns of inadequate rest, and use their feedback to
constantly re-evaluate manning and scheduling decisions.
• Ensure that the rest hour standards contained in the Standards for Training and Certification of
Watchstanders (STCW) Code are met by all shipboard personnel.
For more information contact:

Fatigue Countermeasures Program National Sleep Foundation
NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop 262-4 1522 K Street NW, Suite 500
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: (650) 604-3654, Fax: (415) 604-2177 Telephone: (202) 347-3471
E-mail: Melissa.M.Mallis@nasa.gov Fax: (202) 347-3472
http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/zteam E-mail: nsf@sleepfoundation.org
www.sleepfoundation.org
U.S. Coast Guard, Crew Endurance Mgmt. Program American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Human Element and Ship Design Division (G-MSE-1) One Westbrook Corporate Center
2100 Second Street SW Suite 920, Westchester, IL 60154
Washington, DC 20593-0001 Telephone (708) 492-0930,
Telephone: (202) 267-2997, Fax: (202) 267-4816 Fax: (708) 492-0943
E-mail: bemond@comdt.uscg.mil www.aasmnet.org
www.uscg.mil/hq/gm/cems
Marine Accident Investigation Branch
First Floor, Carlton House, Carlton Place, Southampton SO15 2DZ
Telephone: 023 8039 5500, Fax: 023 8023 2459, Telex: 477917 MAIB SO G
E-mail: maib@dft.gsi.gov.uk
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_accidentinvest/documents/sectionhomepage/dft_accidentinvest_page.hcsp
Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 3 Please reuse and recycle

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Focus on Fatigue & Maritime Operations

Spill Prevention, Preparedness, & Response Program January 2009

Fatigue and Maritime Operations WHY IT MATTERS

Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 1

There are a number of ways to help prevent fatigue

For managers and supervisors these include:

Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 2 Please reuse and recycle

For more information contact:

Publication Number: 99-1303 (Rev. 1/09) 3 Please reuse and recycle

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