Sleepiness and fatigue can be risks for those who work in policing, including both officers and staff and there is considerable evidence that fatigue at work is a safety issue. However, when it comes to fatigue, determining fitness for duty is far from straightforward.
This toolkit provides a brief introduction to several relevant areas when considering management of fatigue. It can be utilised in developing a force fatigue risk policy, or simply when dealing with the challenges around sleepiness and fatigue in policing. It is not designed to be exhaustive, rather to spark thought around development of best practice.
We need to understand that sleepiness and fatigue are risks for many workers and look for ways to manage it like any other hazard.
This toolkit has been developed to:
- Assist workers, supervisors, and senior leaders in policing to understand the impact of fatigue;
- Provide guidance on reducing the likelihood of fatigue and minimising the impact of fatigue;
- Ensure health, safety, and welfare, by eliminating or mitigating workplace risks associated with fatigue, wherever possible.
Prof. John Harrison, National Police Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales
"As someone who has worked as a doctor in the NHS for more than 20 years, and then in policing for a decade, I know only too well how disabling fatigue can be, both at work and at home.
"Use of this toolkit to implement fatigue risk management will assist forces to meet their duty of care responsibilities to individual police officers and police staff, improve organisational efficiency and effectiveness and ensure that the public receive the services that they deserve. A fatigue-centred approach to wellbeing is an important step forward towards the strategic vision of a culture of wellbeing that gives all police personnel the ability to adapt, self-manage, and thrive in the face of work and life challenges."
Lee Rawlinson, NPCC Health and Safety Lead and Greater Manchester Police Chief Resources Officer
“Policing as we know is at the forefront of protecting the public and keeping people safe. In order for policing to be the best it can be in its public service it is vital that we look after ourselves first and foremost. The demands of policing can be high and require people to work differently at short notice which can take a toll on us all. This guidance is an excellent support to help each of us identify risk and opportunity and help us to help ourselves.”