Fatigue is a primary cause of poor quality, reduced productivity, and site injuries in the construction sector. It costs the Australian economy more than $5 billion each year. Given the increasing prevalence of long work hours and excessive workloads in construction, more effective ways to manage fatigue are needed.

This practical, research-informed workshop will demonstrate how advanced AI combined with wearable sensors can help organisations better understand fatigue drivers and inform changes to work design. The focus is on preventing fatigue at its source, before it becomes a quality, performance and safety risk.

Drawing on findings from two large-scale, industry-supported research projects, the workshop will show participants how emerging technologies can be used to:

(1) identify work- and non-work-related factors contributing to fatigue;

(2) Assess fatigue risk under different work design scenarios — such as different working hours, shift start times, breaks, number of shifts, physical work environments, and task allocations — before those work designs are put into practice.

(3) compare different work design scenarios to propose the best option for preventing fatigue.

(4) translate technology-generated data into practical decisions that support safer work, better quality outcomes and improved workforce performance.

The workshop will also address important implementation considerations, including worker privacy, technology acceptance, data interpretation and the responsible use of worker-generated data.

The evidence-based workshop will have a strong focus on practical insights for WHS, HR, and quality managers, project managers and organisational decision-makers.