Fatigue Reporting Behaviour Within a Regional Airline
Korhonen, Johannes (2023)
Korhonen, Johannes
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023121236383
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023121236383
Tiivistelmä
Fatigue is widely understood to be a safety threat in modern aviation as long working hours, shift work, and most significantly insufficient sleep disrupt crew from achieving adequate rest. Fatigue causes the decline of individuals performance to complete safety-related tasks, and negatively impacts crew’s long-term health and wellbeing. Furthermore, crew under-reporting fatigue is a known issue which may give operators the illusion of fatigue being inconsequential within their operations. Not only does fatigue have detrimental effects to flight safety, but it also incurs additional expenses to businesses through added health care expenditures, missed days of work, and lower workplace productivity.
This thesis was commissioned by a regional airline to investigate whether fatigue was a common occurrence, what the crew’s attitudes and behaviors were on fatigue reporting, and whether the operator’s fatigue mitigating procedures were effective. The theoretical framework laid the foundation of the prevalence of fatigue, the need for sleep, importance of trust, attitudes and behaviors on fatigue, fatigue risk management, sustainability, and recommendations.
Themed interviews with the operator’s key managers were conducted to find their most prevalent problems involving fatigue. Then a quantitative questionnaire was created to investigate the research questions of the thesis and the results were conclusive. They showed that fatigue and fatigue under-reporting are a common occurrence and crew do not trust change will occur from reporting fatigue. Crew also feel that not enough action is taken regarding fatigue reports. However, with only 10 % of employees always reporting fatigue it is difficult to justify the need to act. Other key findings were that cabin and flight crew generally share the same attitudes and behaviours towards fatigue, fatigue reporting and the operator’s fatigue management procedures.
With the threat of fatigue on flight safety and the potential cost savings from improving fatigue, recommendations were made. They were to allocate resources to improve fatigue management and fatigue mitigation, with education and training being one of the most important factors.
This thesis was commissioned by a regional airline to investigate whether fatigue was a common occurrence, what the crew’s attitudes and behaviors were on fatigue reporting, and whether the operator’s fatigue mitigating procedures were effective. The theoretical framework laid the foundation of the prevalence of fatigue, the need for sleep, importance of trust, attitudes and behaviors on fatigue, fatigue risk management, sustainability, and recommendations.
Themed interviews with the operator’s key managers were conducted to find their most prevalent problems involving fatigue. Then a quantitative questionnaire was created to investigate the research questions of the thesis and the results were conclusive. They showed that fatigue and fatigue under-reporting are a common occurrence and crew do not trust change will occur from reporting fatigue. Crew also feel that not enough action is taken regarding fatigue reports. However, with only 10 % of employees always reporting fatigue it is difficult to justify the need to act. Other key findings were that cabin and flight crew generally share the same attitudes and behaviours towards fatigue, fatigue reporting and the operator’s fatigue management procedures.
With the threat of fatigue on flight safety and the potential cost savings from improving fatigue, recommendations were made. They were to allocate resources to improve fatigue management and fatigue mitigation, with education and training being one of the most important factors.