Fatigue risk assessment template
This page provides a practical template structure for documenting a fatigue risk assessment. It may help document decisions and can help structure a discussion — but a blank or partially completed template has no value until populated with site-specific evidence and reviewed by competent persons.
Important disclaimer: This template is not legal advice, not a substitute for official standards, and does not complete legal compliance on its own. It does not replace competent judgement, does not determine whether work can proceed, and does not assess fitness for duty. Adapt it to your organisation, sector, and risk level. Sector-specific requirements vary.
When to use a fatigue risk assessment
Section titled “When to use a fatigue risk assessment”Use or update a fatigue risk assessment when:
- Introducing or changing shift patterns, including night or rotating work
- Extending hours, increasing overtime, or adding on-call duties
- Responding to fatigue-related incidents, near-misses, or credible reports
- Changing roles, sites, workload, or staffing
- Starting a new contract, client, or operational area
- Operations materially diverge from the assessed plan — see planned vs actual fatigue
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3, employers must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks. Fatigue should be considered where it is foreseeable. This template supports that process — it does not replace it.
For wider duty context, see employer duties and fatigue risk.
Template section 1: Task and work context
Section titled “Template section 1: Task and work context”| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Organisation / site | |
| Assessment scope (roles, teams, locations) | |
| Contract / project (if applicable) | |
| Safety-critical tasks? (describe) | |
| Assessor(s) | |
| Competent person reviewer | |
| Date | |
| Review date / triggers |
Describe the work:
- What tasks are performed?
- When is harm from fatigue foreseeable?
- Who may be affected (employees, contractors, public)?
- What existing safety management arrangements apply?
Template section 2: Work pattern
Section titled “Template section 2: Work pattern”Document the shift system under review. For roster design context, see roster design principles and the shift pattern review checklist.
| Factor | Description / notes |
|---|---|
| Shift types (day / night / early / late) | |
| Typical start and finish times | |
| Shift duration (planned) | |
| Rest between duties | |
| Consecutive working days | |
| Rotation pattern | |
| Planned overtime or extensions | |
| On-call or call-out likelihood |
Prompts — check whether:
- Night work and early starts are identified — see night shift fatigue and early starts and fatigue
- Quick returns and consecutive blocks are noted — see consecutive shifts and recovery
- Breaks within shifts are realistic — see breaks and recovery during shifts
Template section 3: Travel and door-to-door exposure
Section titled “Template section 3: Travel and door-to-door exposure”| Leg | Typical duration | Worst case | Driving? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outward travel | ||||
| Duty period | ||||
| Return travel | ||||
| Estimated door-to-door |
See door-to-door time, duty, travel, and commute, and the door-to-door planning checklist.
Prompts — check whether:
- Travel is included in fatigue planning even if not paid working time
- Post-duty driving after long or night duties is considered
- Multi-day assignments and accommodation are described accurately
Template section 4: Workload, breaks and environment
Section titled “Template section 4: Workload, breaks and environment”| Factor | Description | Controls in place |
|---|---|---|
| Workload intensity / vigilance demand | ||
| Physical demand | ||
| Monotony or sustained attention | ||
| Planned breaks (frequency, length) | ||
| Likelihood breaks are missed in practice | ||
| Environmental factors (heat, noise, isolation, lighting) | ||
| Peak demand periods (outages, possessions, programme pressure) |
Template section 5: Individual and team factors (worded cautiously)
Section titled “Template section 5: Individual and team factors (worded cautiously)”This section prompts consideration of factors that affect fatigue but are not a medical or occupational health assessment. Do not use this template to conclude whether an individual is fit for duty.
| Factor | Consideration (general) |
|---|---|
| Reporting culture — can workers raise fatigue concerns? | |
| Workforce consultation on shift patterns | |
| Known operational strain (understaffing, disruption) | |
| Secondary employment (if known to management) | |
| Whether occupational health routes exist for concerns |
See worker fatigue reporting. Signpost occupational health where appropriate — do not diagnose via this template.
Template section 6: Risk factors identified
Section titled “Template section 6: Risk factors identified”List significant fatigue-related hazards after reviewing sections 1–5.
| Hazard / risk factor | Who may be affected | Existing controls | Residual concern? (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|
Optional — modelled exposure (if used):
| Tool / method | Inputs summary | Outputs (FI / RI if applicable) | Interpretation notes |
|---|---|---|---|
If using a fatigue risk index (FRI), read limitations of fatigue models first. Outputs are decision-support, not pass/fail verdicts.
Template section 7: Controls and mitigations
Section titled “Template section 7: Controls and mitigations”| Risk factor | Further action / mitigation | Owner | Target date |
|---|---|---|---|
Examples of controls to consider (adapt to context):
- Roster redesign or recovery days
- Task adjustment or additional supervision during high-exposure periods
- Travel mitigations (passenger travel, rest before driving, accommodation)
- Improved break provision
- Training and reporting route communication
- Monitoring of planned vs actual hours
Template section 8: Decision and accountability
Section titled “Template section 8: Decision and accountability”| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Overall assessment summary | |
| Proceed / proceed with controls / redesign required | |
| Named accountable decision-maker | |
| Date | |
| Controls if proceeding | |
| Escalation route if concerns persist |
See management accountability for fatigue.
Example wording for a documented decision (generic, cautious)
Section titled “Example wording for a documented decision (generic, cautious)”Following review of the work pattern, travel, workload, and existing controls, [role/name] recorded that [brief summary of exposure]. The assessment identified [key risk factors]. Controls agreed: [list]. The pattern may proceed / proceed subject to [conditions] / requires redesign before implementation. This record does not confirm legal compliance or that all fatigue risk has been eliminated. Review triggered by: [date/event/operational change].
Adapt wording to your organisation. This example is illustrative only.
Template section 9: Review after work
Section titled “Template section 9: Review after work”| Date | Trigger (incident, report, roster change, audit) | Reviewer | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
Retain records for assurance — see fatigue records and audit.
Sign-off
| Role | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Assessor | ||
| Competent person review | ||
| Operational approval (if required by policy) |
What this template does not cover
Section titled “What this template does not cover”- Legal advice or confirmation that a roster is lawful
- Medical or fitness-for-duty assessment of individuals
- Sector-specific mandatory limits (rail contractual standards, driver hours, aviation FTL, etc.)
- Network Rail threshold matrices or exceedance management rules
- Automatic approval based on model scores or completed form fields
- Software or product recommendations
A fatigue risk management system (FRMS) provides wider structure within which assessments sit.
Related pages
Section titled “Related pages”- Fatigue risk assessment
- Employer duties and fatigue risk
- Management accountability for fatigue
- Fatigue records and audit
- Planned vs actual fatigue
- Duty, travel, and commute
- Door-to-door time
- Limitations of fatigue models
- Shift pattern review checklist
- Door-to-door fatigue planning checklist
References
Section titled “References”- Fatigue — HSE — fatigue as a hazard; risk assessment of working hours
- Managing shift work (HSG256) — gathering information and assessing shift work risks
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3 — risk assessment duty
- Managing rail staff fatigue — ORR — FRMS and assessment concepts in rail industry guidance (not reproduced)