What it was
HSE published the Fatigue and Risk Index in 2006, in Research Report RR446. It was a spreadsheet for comparing shift patterns. It gave each shift two scores: one for fatigue and one for the relative risk of an accident or error.
It took account of time of day, shift length, breaks, runs of shifts and recovery. HSE’s guidance says it should not be the only or main way to assess fatigue risk.
Why HSE withdrew it
In June 2021 HSE took the index off its website. It gave three reasons:
- it ran on an older version of Excel that HSE could no longer support
- its design needed to make its outputs and limits easier to understand
- it had sometimes been misused to justify work patterns that needed further action
People who already have the tool can keep using it if they have the expertise to understand its outputs.
What HSE recommends
HSE points shift planners to its guidance Managing shift work (HSG256), a planned approach to managing fatigue risk, and asking staff how tiring they find their shifts. HSE also says that meeting the Working Time Regulations alone isn’t enough to manage fatigue risk.
Where RosterWise fits
RosterWise doesn’t calculate the index. It checks the patterns HSE’s guidance highlights, such as short rest, nights, long shifts and long runs of shifts, and shows you which shifts to review. What RosterWise checks.
Sources: HSE RR446 and the 2021 update (National Archives); HSE, Human factors: fatigue.