Fans of the recent television series Chernobyl will have been reminded of the devastating consequences of the nuclear explosion in 1986, which was in part found to have been caused by operator error as a result of extreme fatigue. Other well-known major accidents such as the Herald of Free Enterprise (Zeebrugge ferry disaster) in 1987, and the Clapham Junction rail crash in 1988 also found that human error played a part, in both cases with operators being required to perform crucial safety-related tasks having worked excessively long hours, fatigued as a result.

Those operating within high hazard industries such as COMAH sites or nuclear installations will be well-versed in the need to risk assess and manage human factors, including the likelihood of fatigue, as these are often an inherent part of the operator