Safety Issue

In October 2017, InterDynamics (the provider of FAID) published a document titled BMM Warning’ on its website (www.interdynamics.com). The document included the following statements:

Warning – know your biomathematical model and use it appropriately!

Not all biomathematical models are the same and will differ in their sensitivity to different work patterns and other parameters. The user of a biomathematical model should be familiar with how it works, what it is sensitive to, its strengths and weaknesses and suitability for evaluating the work context in question.

FAID

One of the strengths of the FAID biomathematical model is the inclusion of the accumulated contribution of work hours for the past 7 days. This component of the model is particularly helpful in highlighting the increasing fatigue exposure over consecutive work periods, particularly night work, as shown below.

However, this is also a weakness when evaluating very intermittent work periods or work periods immediately after a long break. As shown above the first night shift after multiple days break has a low score.

The document also noted the usefulness of another biomathematical model (provided by the same company) for evaluating intermittent work or work after long breaks.

InterDynamics advised the warning document would also be provided to all new licence holders.