Fatigue and shift work checklist

Site: ______________________ Date: ____________ Checked by: ______________________

01Planning and risk assessment

Fatigue listed as a hazard in the risk assessment for shift and night work.
Safety-critical tasks (driving, lifting, operating plant, work at height) identified.
Written procedure for removing a fatigued worker from a task.
Workers know how to report fatigue without being penalised.

02Rosters and hours

No shift longer than 12 hours, overtime included. Employment Act, Part 4
Overtime for each covered worker stays within 72 hours a month, or an MOM exemption is held. Employment Act, Part 4
Every worker gets one rest day a week. Employment Act, Part 4
No quick changeovers, such as finishing at 11pm and starting at 7am.
Rotating shifts move forward: morning, then afternoon, then night.
12-hour night shifts limited to two or three nights in a row.
Roster issued in advance so workers can plan their sleep.
Actual hours checked against the roster each week.

03Night and extended shifts

High-risk work kept out of 2am to 6am where possible.
Enough workers on the shift to cover the job without overload.
Extra supervision in place at night and in the last hours of long shifts.
Buddy system used for critical work that cannot be rescheduled.
Supervisor asks each worker about sleep and hours awake at the start of shift.

04Breaks and rest facilities

No worker goes more than 6 hours in a row without a break. Employment Act, Part 4
Break times written into the work plan, longer for heavy or long shifts.
Rest area provided that is clean, quiet, dim and not too hot.
Rest area is away from vehicle routes and live work.
Workers waking from a nap get time to recover before safety-critical work.

05Workplace conditions

Work areas well lit, including night work zones and walkways.
Hot work areas have shade, ventilation or cooling.
Transport home arranged after long or night shifts where needed.

06Review

Incident reports record hours worked and time of day.
Fatigue near misses and reports reviewed at the WSH committee.
Supervisors and shift workers trained on fatigue signs and controls.

Legal requirement

Singapore has no national standard on fatigue, but the WSH Act requires employers to take reasonably practicable steps to keep work safe, and the WSH Council treats managing shifts and rest as part of that duty. For employees covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act, MOM limits work to 12 hours a day except in set emergencies, caps overtime at 72 hours a month, generally allows no more than 6 hours in a row without a break and requires one rest day a week.

Sources and further reading

WSH Guidelines on Fatigue Management, WSH Council.
Hours of work, overtime and rest days, Ministry of Manpower.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.

Fatigue and shift work checklist

01Planning and risk assessment

02Rosters and hours

03Night and extended shifts

04Breaks and rest facilities

05Workplace conditions

06Review

Sources and further reading

Related reading

Fatigue and shift work: what supervisors need to know

Toolbox talk: fatigue and shift work

Toolbox talk: lighting and night work