A new study has shown that a lack of sleep can reduce FIFO workers' alertness by 20 per cent.

Research by experts at Edith Cowan University (ECU) has tracked the sleep patterns of 88 FIFO workers.

They found that most workers were “barely scraping” the threshold for adequate rest on days off, and missing it entirely for their days on shift.

“As humans, we require about seven to nine hours of sleep per night,” says ECU adjunct associate professor Ian Dunican.

“People are getting approximately six hours of sleep working [12 hour] day shifts, five and a half after [12 hour] night shifts.”

The study suggests that the lack of rest can reduce workers' alertness on mine sites by 20 per cent across a 14 day swing - and days off do not appear to help. 

“We thought that days off would be making up for the sleep debt incurred over the previous two weeks, but they're only getting an average of about seven hours and 10 minutes - so just barely scraping into that green zone of adequate sleep,” Dr Dunican said.

Dr Dunican says that while there is no perfect roster, studies are beginning to back a system consisting of a week of day shift, a week off, a week of nights, a week off.

“It's better from an employee satisfaction perspective … it basically lessens the time at work,” he said.

“But with that comes a little bit less cash, as opposed to working a two [on] and one [off] roster, so people don't make as much money.

“It also increases costs for companies as well [which] have to have more flights, more accommodation and more transportation.”

He also says that the mining industry is beginning to take sleep more seriously, but much more needs to be done about the clear and avoidable safety issue. 

The study was undertaken by ECU PhD student Gemma Maisey. More details are accessible here.