FATIGUE AND FERRY WORKERS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march/april 2025 :: RMTnews 18 The workers responsible for keeping Britain’s maritime industry moving are facing dangerous levels of overwork, jeopardising their long-term health, safety and lives potentially their lives according to a new report. Seafarers—the men and women tasked with transporting goods and passengers safely across the seas—are grappling with severe fatigue, as evidenced by alarming new statistics. More than half admit to feeling dangerously sleepy on duty, and almost one in five have fallen asleep while working. These workers are operating under extreme conditions. Long hours, unpredictable shifts, and subpar working environments leave them exhausted and prone to errors. Government data indicates that fatigue has been a contributing factor in nearly half of all maritime accidents over the past decade. This situation is a disaster waiting to happen. The recent report commissioned by the UK Department for Transport, entitled Understanding Seafarer Fatigue in Ferry Operations, underscores these dangers, highlighting the severe impact of exhaustion on the industry. 59 per cent of seafarer’s report battling sleepiness at work at least once a month, while 18 per cent have fallen asleep on duty in the past year. Even more alarming, 41 per cent say they have experienced a fatigue-related workplace incident in the past decade—yet 85 per cent believe their employer was unaware that fatigue was a factor. The report identifies several causes of this crisis, including irregular work schedules, excessive overtime, and poor sleep environments caused by noise and vibration. Those in customer-facing roles, such as stewards and service crew, suffer the worst, experiencing daily sleepiness and poor sleep quality. However, fatigue risk management remains inconsistent across the industry, and formal training is rarely provided. A GLOBAL CRISIS The issue of seafarer fatigue is not confined to the UK. A 2023 updated report by the World Maritime University (WMU) reinforced the scale of the problem across the global shipping industry: • Fatigue perception: Seafarers overwhelmingly identify fatigue as a serious FATIGUE AND FERRY WORKERS Report finds fatigue is a major problem, requiring long-term procedural, cultural and operational improvements