The Impact of Extended Leave on Sleep and Alertness in the Australian Rail Industry

Abstract

In the past, scientific studies have investigated the effects of shift timing and duration on sleep and alertness in the rail industry. To our knowledge no research has been conducted to determine the effects of extended break lengths (>48 h) on these factors. Hence, this study analyses the work and rest schedules of 304 Australian rail employees (mean age 41.3 yr, standard deviation 7.4 yr) to determine the effect of prior break lengths (12-169 h) on sleep and subjective alertness at work after periods of leave. Extended break periods (>48 h) were found to increase the length of the sleep prior to returning to work and reduce the total wake time to the end of the first shift, but did not influence levels of subjective alertness immediately prior to the commencement of the first shift. Research into the influence of longer break periods (>169 h) is needed in order to make definitive conclusions regarding sensible return to work policies after extended leave within the Australian rail industry.

Guiding principles for determining work shift duration and addressing the effects of work shift duration on performance, safety, and health: guidance from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society

“…Whereas the alignment of work hours with respect to the temporal regulation of sleep and waking alertness is the primary driver of performance, safety and health outcomes, a variety of other work-related factors also play a role. These include schedule configuration considerations, such as early starts, 77 forward and (especially) backward rotating shifts, 78,79 irregular shift schedules, 72 quick returns, 80 work breaks, 81 number of consecutive shifts, 82 time off between duty cycles, 76,83 and cumulative work hours across weeks, months and years 54 and the frequency and extent to which these factors occur alone or in combination. Furthermore, working conditions play a role, including physical, cognitive and/or emotional workload, [84][85][86][87] environmental conditions, 5 inherent hazard exposure, 88 and workplace culture and policies.…”

Causes, consequences and countermeasures to driver fatigue in the rail industry: The train driver perspective

“…Previous rail research has demonstrated that significantly more sleep is obtained following longer (48h+) breaks than shorter breaks (Kandelaars et al 2005). The authors posit that the extended break allows workers more time with family and friends without sacrificing their sleep.…”

“…The commonalities in shift work between road and rail suggest that train drivers may be subject to the same vulnerabilities. In particular, reduced period of time between shifts has been shown to reduce the amount of sleep that drivers obtain (Kecklund et al 2003, Kandelaars et al 2005.…”

The impact of break duration, time of break onset, and prior shift duration on the amount of sleep between shifts in heavy vehicle drivers

“…In shift workers, total sleep time (TST) has been found to increase as break duration increases (Kandelaars et al, 2005; Roach et al, 2003). Roach et al (2003) investigated Australian locomotive engineers and reported that participants only obtained 5 h of sleep during 12‐h rest breaks and 6.5 h of sleep during 16‐h rest breaks.…”

“…Daytime sleep tends to be poorer than night‐time sleep due to shift workers sleeping against their circadian rhythm combined with poor sleeping conditions, such as daytime sunlight and noisy environments (Paech et al, 2014; Roach et al, 2003). Consequently, breaks beginning in the evening resulted in longer TST than breaks starting in the morning or daytime in locomotive engineers and rail workers (Kandelaars et al, 2005; Paech et al, 2014; Roach et al, 2003). Roach et al (2003) therefore suggested that break duration should be considered in relation to the time of break onset, as these variables may interact to influence how much sleep workers obtain.…”