Helicopter Safety Enhancement H-SE 23-04
USHST FATIGUE RISK
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Enhancing Helicopter Operations
The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Fatigue Risk Management initiative supports helicopter operators in creating comprehensive programs to assess and address fatigue risks using data-driven frameworks. This initiative enhances safety by equipping operators with the tools and strategies necessary for effective fatigue management.
Launched in 2017, the Helicopter Safety Enhancement (H-SE) initiative is USHST’s systematic effort to reduce helicopter accidents through rigorous safety data analysis and strategic interventions. This has led to the development of valuable safety tools, practices, and resources. One of the key initiatives, H-SE 23-04, specifically targets Fatigue Risk Management to address human factors contributing to helicopter incidents.
WORKPLAN
CHALLENGES
Fatigue is an often underreported but significant risk factor in helicopter operations:
- Since 1990, NTSB has conducted 6,521 helicopter accident investigations
- While only 28 investigations explicitly cited fatigue or lack of adequate sleep as a contributing factor, this likely understates the true impact
- Based on benchmarks from other industries, fatigue is estimated to be a factor in 1 in 5 incidents
- Current subjective self-assessment approaches to fatigue management are problematic because:
- People with sleep debt systematically underestimate their alertness deficits
- Fatigue changes risk perception, leading to greater risk acceptance
- Individual thresholds for acceptable fatigue vary and may be influenced by production pressures
OUR SOLUTION
The Fatigue Risk Management Working Group is developing a comprehensive approach to fatigue risk management that is comprised of the following outputs:
- White paper to serve as educational tool and bridge knowledge gaps in the industry, helping operators understand why an FRMP is necessary
- FRMP checklist provides a tangible tool for operators to self-assess their current FRMP maturity and identify areas for improvement
- Case study will showcase real-world implementation, encouraging other operators to follow suit
- Large-scale study of fatigue in air medical transport operations will provide benchmarking data, helping operators compare their fatigue risk levels to industry standards
Status briefs & key updates
Conduct research and publish a white paper that communicates the need for an FRMP among rotorcraft operators. This will include a review of helicopter incidents investigated by NTSB.
Develop a checklist to support rotorcraft operators in identifying the key components of a comprehensive FRMP to cover the range of fatigue risks in helicopter operations.
Conduct a case study with a rotorcraft operator adopting a comprehensive FRMP to serve as an industry guide.
Conduct a study on fatigue in air medical transport operations to gather crucial data tailored specifically to helicopter operations.
CURRENT PROGRESS
View our status briefs for monthly updates on our progress.
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