Preventing Fatigue in a 24/7 Industry: Safety Starts with Rest

Written by: Zach Walden CSP, NRP

In the maritime industry, the clock never stops. Ships sail through the night, terminals operate under floodlights, and cargo moves through ports in a seamless chain that rarely pauses. But while the work is continuous, the people driving it are not machines. They need rest—and more than ever, we need to talk about the role of fatigue in worker safety.

Why Fatigue Matters

Fatigue isn’t just about feeling tired, it’s a physiological impairment that slows reaction time, reduces alertness, and clouds judgment. It’s often referred to as the “invisible hazard,” comparable in its effects to alcohol impairment. According to the National Safety Council, being awake for 20 hours is equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%—the legal limit in many states.

In port operations, longshoring, and vessel servicing, even a split-second delay or lapse in concentration can (and has) lead to serious injury, environmental damage, or loss of life. Fatigue is a silent contributor to near misses and recordable incidents—but it’s one we can address.

Unique Challenges in Maritime Work

The maritime industry presents unique obstacles to managing fatigue. Understanding these challenges is the first step toward developing meaningful prevention strategies.

1. 24/7 Operations: Workers on rotating shifts often experience circadian rhythm disruption.
2. Irregular Schedules: Job availability, overtime, and weather delays impact rest and recovery.
3. Environmental Stressors: Noise, vibration, physical exertion, and exposure to weather accelerate fatigue.
4. Cultural Factors: In some work settings, taking breaks or prioritizing rest may be misinterpreted as a lack of toughness rather than a focus on safety.

Practical Strategies to Reduce Fatigue Risk

Fatigue mitigation is a shared responsibility. Both labor and management leaders—from Supervisors to Gang Bosses, Union Foremen to Terminal Operators—must work together to identify fatigue risk and act early. Consider the following approaches:

1. Smarter Scheduling
   1. Limit excessive consecutive shifts and minimize “quick returns.”
   2. Where local agreements permit, develop scheduling practices that allow separation between day and night gangs to support meaningful rest cycles.
   3. Encourage Union leadership to engage in internal hour tracking or voluntary limits on consecutive work periods, similar to approaches taken by some Canadian Locals.
2.  Encourage Self-Reporting
   1. Empower workers to speak up about fatigue without fear of reprisal.
   2. Promote a “pause without penalty” culture that values self-awareness and accountability.
3.  Provide Rest Facilities
   1. Where feasible, provide clean, quiet, and comfortable break areas.
   2. Recognize that not all terminals have the infrastructure to support dedicated rest facilities, but even modest improvements to existing spaces can support recovery.
   3. Clarify hydration and nutrition support expectations—this could include providing water stations, electrolyte packets, or access to healthy snacks/meals during extended shifts.
4.  Train Waterfront Supervisors (Management & Labor) to Recognize Fatigue
   1. Fatigue recognition should not rest solely with Management. Union leaders play a critical role on the front line and should be trained to identify symptoms such as slowed movement, forgetfulness, or disengagement.
   2. Responsibility for action should be shared—with labor and management partnering to ensure observations lead to safe decisions.

What Workers Can Do at Home to Improve Rest

Fatigue prevention doesn’t start at the job site—it starts at home. Here are four simple, science-backed habits that support better sleep and next-day alertness:

1. Keep Your Bedroom Cool
   The optimal room temperature for sleep is between 60–67°F. Cooler environments help the body maintain its natural temperature rhythms, allowing for deeper and more restorative sleep cycles. Research from the Cleveland Clinic supports this range, noting that a cool room promotes melatonin production and reduces sleep disturbances.
2. Replace Pillows Regularly
   Old or worn-out pillows can lead to neck discomfort, poor spinal alignment, and disrupted sleep. The Sleep Foundation recommends replacing pillows every 1–2 years to maintain proper support and hygiene, especially for individuals who sweat heavily or suffer from allergies.
3. Write Down Tomorrow’s Tasks
   A study by Baylor University found that individuals who wrote a to-do list before bed fell asleep faster than those who wrote about completed tasks or nothing at all. The act of offloading responsibilities onto paper reduced bedtime anxiety and mental clutter.
4. Use the Bed for Sleep—Not Entertainment
   Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) strongly encourages limiting bed use to sleep only. Engaging in other activities like watching TV, eating, or scrolling on a phone while in bed can weaken the mind-body connection between bed and rest. Veterans’ Health Administration sleep clinicians echo this strategy as a foundational tool for improving sleep quality.

The Role of Technology in Fatigue Detection

As port operations modernize, technology is emerging as a valuable tool in fatigue prevention. In-vehicle camera systems powered by AI can detect eye closure, head nodding, or erratic steering, and prompt real-time corrections.

However, inward-facing camera technology must be approached with caution. Previous implementations have met resistance from labor partners, including incidents of vandalism. Any use of such technology must be transparently introduced, with union collaboration and trust-building as part of the rollout.

Technology is not a silver bullet—but when combined with cultural change, policy, and mutual respect, it can become part of a broader fatigue risk management system.

Building a Culture Where Rest is Respected

Fatigue management isn’t just about policy, it’s about culture. Rest must be treated as a performance tool, not a weakness. This culture must be shaped by both management and labor leaders, who model and reinforce the value of recovery.

We must move the conversation from “toughing it out” to “staying sharp.” Safety isn’t about endurance, it’s about readiness. And sustained readiness requires proper rest.

Sleep on it

As a member of the NMSA Technical Committee—and as someone who spent years working 24-hour shifts as a firefighter/paramedic—I’ve seen firsthand the toll fatigue can take. I’ve responded to countless incidents in the early hours of the morning that were the direct and preventable result of someone being overtired: workplace accidents, vehicle collisions, medical emergencies. Fatigue doesn’t just compromise performance; it endangers lives.

In the maritime industry, where the work is physically demanding, unpredictable, and often performed under pressure, managing fatigue isn’t optional, it’s essential. But this work must be done in partnership. Labor leaders, union foremen, employers, and terminal managers all play a role.

Because at the end of the day—or night—safety starts with rest.