There are concerns a potential change to ambulance rosters in Tasmania to combat fatigue may actually make the problem worse.
Paramedics are on four-day blocks of two 10-hour day shifts and two 14-hour night shifts.
Ambulance Tasmania is considering changing to two 12-hour day shifts and two 12-hour night shifts.
But the Health and Community Services Union’s Tim Jacobson warned that instead of reducing fatigue, the change would make things worse.
“On a 14-hour shift staff get two meal breaks, so there’s the capacity for those staff to rest and recuperate,” he said.
“But in the 12-hour roster that’s been proposed, Ambulance Tasmania has only provided for one meal break, so in our view it will actually result in increased fatigue, not reduced fatigue.”
He said workers were happy with the current arrangement, despite having to work long days.
“There’s absolutely no doubt that the 10-14 hour shift, while it does have very lengthy shift times, is very popular amongst paramedics.”
Mr Jacobson said overtime was a big issue.
“The fundamental issue that we’ve had historically with fatigue on those shifts is where those shifts have been extended.”
Ambulance Tasmania’s chief executive Dominic Morgan moved to allay fears about the potential change.
“I struggle to understand how reducing someone’s potential possibility of working a 16-hour shift would be actually made worse by only requiring them to work 12,” he said.
“The most important thing to point out here is that it’s not the union that has the work, health and safety responsibility, my job is to ensure that our workforce goes home safely.”
Mr Morgan said shorter shifts would mean less fatigue and a safer workplace.
“My view is that not doing 14-hour night shifts improves workplace health and safety.”
He agreed overtime was a problem.
“The very real likelihood, that even an hour or two hours of additional overtime sometimes occurs after these very long shifts, and then our paramedics also have to drive home,” he said.
“Our staff, in some instances, could be realistically expected to be at work for 16 hours and in this day and age with our responsibilities the ambulance services decided that we can no longer support these.”
He believed the 12-hour proposal was preferred as it maintained the current four days on, four days off structure.
“Certainly the advice I’ve received so far is that the workforce are generally more supportive of the 12-hour shift, because it preserves a four days on, four days off roster,” he said.