TWU Autumn 2010

Taking control of drowsiness before it's too late

28% of truck drivers have reported that they have fallen asleep at the wheel. They were lucky to live to tell the tale. An Australian invention helps driver manage their fatigue throughout their shift

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Friday 9 April 2010

Fighting fatigue
Push to force truckies to wear anti-snooze glasses

By Joe Hildebrand

HI-TECH glasses that ‘‘read’’ a driver’s fatigue level and ring an alarm if they are too tired could be rolled out across the NSW trucking industry.
Transport Minister David Campbell said the Government was investigating whether to make the technology mandatory for the long-haul freight industry, amid claims from Optalert’s Australian inventors that it could prevent up to 90 per cent of accidents caused by fatigue.

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Thursday May 20 2010 

Vision: a wake-up call for drwosy drivers

A new device promises to reduce the danger of drivers falling asleep at the whell, writes Mark Lawson

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Sutherlands Transport has recently implemented in more than 50% of their fleet the latest fatigue management technology- Optalert™ Road System.

Furthering their commitment to transport safety, the company has installed the Optalert Road system in three trucks that are operating under the Intelligent Access Program (IAP). The trucks are fitted with Transtech Driven (IAP), 24/7 real time GPS tracking, Optalert™  the latest fatigue management technology, and they are speed limited to 95 kms per hour.

“The integration of the IAP technology with Optalert™ and the ability for real time direct tracking of driver fatigue levels is a big step forward into the future” says Managing Director, Chris Sutherland.  “The systems also provide both our customers and the Roads and Traffic Authority with the assurance that these vehicles will remain on their designated routes.” He adds.

The Optalert™ system, developed and manufactured in Australia is the world’s first scientifically proven system that alerts a driver to a pending episode of drowsiness, thus dramatically reducing the risk of accidents. 

“Not only does Optalert™ serve as a fatigue management safety device for our drivers, our operations staff utilises the Optalert™ monitoring reports to better design and enhance our fatigue management policies. These three trucks alone undertake over 1300 trips per annum and the investment in the Optalert™ technology is a worth while investment in our safety and our future” says Co-Director Tony Sutherland.

The transport union is screening more truck drivers for sleep deprivation, as a new report shows nearly 20 percent of truckies are too tired to be behind the wheel.

According to findings made public by the Institute of Breathing and Sleep, based on medical tests of 4,000 transport workers, 4 percent admitted to “regularly” falling asleep at the wheel while 20 percent reported regular sleep deprivation.

Bill Baarini, General Counsel for the Victoria/Tasmania branch of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), says fatigue is a top priority for the union.

“We are currently in the middle of another [medical] screening process for 1,000 more transport workers throughout metropolitan and rural Victoria,” Baarini says.

“It is about trying to get a bit of a sense about how the industry is faring when it comes to sleep apnoea.

The latest survey according to Baarini gives workers a chance to be tested privately and in the highest confidence.

“We get a medic to go out and do a screening which is strictly confidential,” he says.

“The results are then sent to [the Institute] and if there is a person of interest they will identified for further tests.

“The union’s mission is to raise awareness and let them [industry workers] know about it and let them know what they can do”.

RESULTS 'NOT ALARMING'

Despite the somewhat alarming results regarding sleep deprivation in Victoria, Baarini is keen to point out the condition is curable and not out of control amongst the Australian trucking community.
 
“I don’t think we should be alarmed or putting out the view that we have drivers who are suffering from sleep apnoea [on mass],” he says.

“It is just important to make it clear that there is an issue that comes with sleep fatigue, no matter what industry you are in but especially with truck drivers as well as ordinary motorists.

“I think that like anything unless there is awareness about the issue then people are not going to be able to address the issue. People need to know that if they are suffering from sleep apnoea they are not going to lose their job.

“In fact they need to know that if they do something about it then they can actually save their lives and their jobs.”

Baarini says the TWU has been it contact with the Victorian Government over the issue and has received some support for its campaign.

“If you look at what the Government has done with worker health checks in order to improve people’s health and well being, with the view this will lead to better productivity gains,” Baarini says.

“This [the sleep deprivation issue] is a component of this it is important the government and the union work together to preserve community and driver safety.”

The TWU says the current survey will be completed by the end of the year and it hopes for the results by March or April 2010.

Following the release of new fatal truck crash figures, the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has announced heavy rigid truck operators must upgrade safety procedures.

The new figures, released by the Federal Infrastructure Department, reveal there were 90 fatal crashes and 95 fatalities involving heavy rigid trucks in 2008.
 
This is a significant rise from the 78 fatal crashes and 83 fatalities recorded just a year earlier, with Queensland and Western Australia recording the highest increases in the number of fatal crashes involving heavy rigid trucks.

ATA Chairman Trevor Martyn said the dramatic increase was unacceptable and called on all heavy rigid trucking operators to re-evaluate their safety systems.

The ATA said companies need to have procedures to make sure their drivers are fit for duty when they start work, systems to train their staff and drivers properly, with regular safety reminders, systems to guarantee their trucks are maintained safely; and realistic delivery schedules.

Martyn urged governments to take action to reduce the number of truck crashes as well, including under the next version of the National Road Safety Strategy, due to take effect from 2011.

He said more than 70 per cent of the heavy rigid truck crashes in 2008 were multiple vehicle accidents with a substantial number in urban areas.

Dr Murray Johns, chief scientist of Optalert says, ‘Drowsiness must be distinguished from fatigue. Some people think they are the same and use the word fatigue to mean drowsiness. This is misleading’.

Dr Johns defines drowsiness as the intermediate state between alert wakefulness and sleep. It is an unstable state which fluctuates between different levels. Drowsiness intermittently causes lack of awareness of the here-and-now; that is why it is so dangerous for drivers.

By contrast Dr Johns defines fatigue as a behavioural state associated with feelings of weariness and discomfort, muscle aches, and a disinclination to continue the task at hand. Fatigue gets progressively worse with the duration and intensity of the task. You don’t have to be fatigued to become drowsy, but you can be both fatigued and drowsy at the same time. Fatigue doesn’t fluctuate rapidly, over periods of a few seconds, as drowsiness does. Rest and inactivity relieves fatigue, but this makes drowsiness worse.

Optalert™ JDS Score (John Drowsiness Score)

The Optalert system gives drivers minute by minute information on their level of drowsiness and their risk of a drowsy crash. The driver’s fluctuating alertness level is displayed as a score from 0 to 10 (JDS score). The higher the score the more drowsy the driver is.  The indicator also shows the risk of a drowsy crash (low, medium, high) at the time.

With the aim to have a low JDS score, a driver can  plan their journey more safely by having additional control over how they manage their fatigue. 

As not to distract the drivers from the road, the indicator is passive unless the driver is entering a risky drowsiness event. If the driver wishes to check their JDS score, they simply need to wave their finger over the indicator to illuminate the display.

The JDS score displayed on the indicator consists of three risk signals: 1. Green: Low Risk (Normal) 2. Yellow: Medium Risk (Caution) 3. Red:  High Risk (Critical)

WestNet Energy is a leading provider of asset management and project management services to a wide range of critical infrastructure clients in both the gas and electricity fields in Western Australia.

WestNet Energy utlises a number of sub-contractors for the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline and the WA Gas Networks.

WestNet Energy and Dampier Bunbury Pipeline have a simple catch phrase, ZERO HARM - SAFETY FIRST. This pro-active approach to safety led to the implementation of in cab technology in trucks hauling pipe for the DBP to monitor speed position and driver drowsiness.

Craig Agar of two Freightliner Argosy trucks, where the Optalert vehicle systems have been installed.

Below are the comments that Craig made in relation to the Optalert Vehicle System:

• I found the glasses to be comfortable and in no way a hindrance.
• The yellow lenses are excellent. They make night driving at least 25% lighter and I can clearly see animals on the road ahead.
• It’s reassuring to be told of fatigue (drowsiness) before I felt tired, because when I get tired the next parking bay could be 50km away.
• I have no negative problems with the glasses, where my drivers also have no issues.
• If I had these glasses 3 years ago I would not have had the issues with my trucks that cost me $281,500 - $20,000 of repayments, $140,000 in insurance repairs, $1,500 license fees, and $120,000 in lost earnings".
• If I had Optalert the loss would have been $0...