Fatigue risk scorer

Rate the fatigue risk in a roster from shift length, timing, breaks, days in a row, workload, commute and on-call, and see which controls fit the result.

Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.

Victoria and Western Australia have their own Acts; the tool switches to them.

The roster

The work and the day around it

Fatigue risk rating

Rating for this roster

High fatigue risk

Managing fatigue is part of the duty under s 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
Score
8 of 16
Factors adding load
6

What is driving it

  • Shifts of more than 10 and up to 12 hours (+2)
  • A rotating roster across day and night (+2)
  • Breaks that are short or often skipped (+1)
  • Six days worked in a row (+1)
  • Moderate mental or physical demand (+1)
  • A commute of about 30 to 60 minutes each way (+1)

Controls to consider

  • Write a fatigue management procedure and consult workers and any health and safety representative on it.
  • Limit runs of night shifts and long shifts, and schedule the hardest tasks away from the early-morning low point.
  • Count commuting and on-call in the total load; offer rest facilities or transport after long or night shifts.
  • Review the roster against incidents and near misses.
  • Set limits on overtime and consecutive shifts, and avoid quick turnarounds.
  • Track the hours people actually work, including overtime and on-call, not only rostered hours.
  • Train supervisors to spot fatigue and to stand someone down from safety-critical work.
  • Keep rosters predictable and give enough time between shifts to sleep.
  • Make sure breaks are taken, not just scheduled.
  • Tell workers how to report fatigue and act on reports.
  • The score is a prioritisation aid built from the hazards in Safe Work Australia’s fatigue Code of Practice. It is not a legal test, and it does not replace consulting the workers on the roster.
  • There is no general maximum number of hours for non-driving work under WHS or OHS law. Heavy vehicle drivers have set work and rest limits under separate heavy vehicle laws.
  • Under the Fair Work Act 2009 s 62, an employee can refuse additional hours that are unreasonable, and the risk to health and safety is one of the factors.

General information, not legal advice.

How this works

Each answer adds points (0 to 3 for shift length and timing, 0 to 2 for the rest), for a score out of 16. A score of 0–2 is low, 3–6 moderate, 7–10 high and 11 or more severe. Shifts longer than 12 hours at night are rated at least high, and severe when combined with seven or more days in a row or minimal breaks, because adding points alone under-rates that pattern.

The factors come from Safe Work Australia’s model Code of Practice, Managing the risk of fatigue at work (September 2025), which names long and irregular hours, too few breaks during and between shifts, night work, job demands and long commutes as fatigue hazards. Its examples include more than 5 days in a row, less than 12 hours between shifts and more than 3 night shifts in a row. Controls build up with the rating: a high result includes the moderate and low controls.

Codes by state: NSW and the NT have adopted fatigue codes based on the model Code. Western Australia has its own Working hours code of practice, and WorkSafe Victoria publishes a work-related fatigue guide for employers. In other jurisdictions the model Code is guidance rather than an approved code.

Jurisdictions: the duty is the primary duty of care in every state and territory: s 19 of each harmonised WHS Act and of the WHS Act 2020 (WA), and s 21 of the OHS Act 2004 (Vic).

Not included: heavy vehicle driver work and rest limits, individual factors such as health or a second job, and industry-specific rules (for example aviation or rail).

Legal basis

Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.

Questions

Is there a legal maximum number of hours someone can work?

Not as a general rule under WHS or OHS law. The duty is to manage fatigue as a risk, so the right limit depends on the work, the roster and the people doing it. Heavy vehicle drivers are the main exception, with set work and rest limits under heavy vehicle laws. Separately, the Fair Work Act lets employees refuse additional hours that are unreasonable.

Who is responsible for managing fatigue?

The business. Fatigue is a hazard under the primary duty of care, so the PCBU (the employer in Victoria) must eliminate or minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable. Workers also have to take reasonable care, which includes using rest time to rest and reporting when they are too tired to work safely.

Does commuting count?

It counts towards how tired someone is at work, and Safe Work Australia’s fatigue Code of Practice lists extended commutes as a hazard. A long drive after a long night shift is a common cause of serious incidents, so it belongs in the roster assessment.

What should a fatigue management procedure cover?

Limits on shift length, consecutive shifts and overtime, minimum breaks between shifts, how on-call is handled, how workers report fatigue, what supervisors do when someone is unfit for safety-critical work, and when the roster is reviewed.

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