In the oil and gas industry, employees are often transported to geographically remote areas for temporary work instead of relocating there permanently with their families.
These fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations can result in employee fatigue. Although the individual may only travel from home to the worksite once every month, or even less frequently, the journey may be long and arduous, and involve crossing multiple time zones. Following travel to a different time zone or a change from day shift to night shift, the circadian clock needs time to adjust. During this adjustment period, employees’ alertness and decision-making ability will be affected.