Western Australia's fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers are not getting enough rest, according to scientists behind the world's largest study of its kind.

Edith Cowan University researchers tracked the sleep of 88 FIFO workers and found most were "barely scraping" the threshold for adequate rest on days off, let alone days on shift.

"People are getting approximately six hours of sleep working [12 hour] day shifts, five and a half after [12 hour] night shifts," he said.

According to the study, that lack of rest reduced workers' alertness on mine sites by 20 per cent across a 14 day swing — and days off didn't help.

"We thought that days off would be making up for the sleep debt incurred over the previous two weeks, but they're only getting an average of about seven hours and 10 minutes — so just barely scraping into that green zone of adequate sleep," Dr Dunican said.

Optimising restful rosters 

Albany local Patrick McLennan has been navigating the fickle world of FIFO sleep for 20 years and has worked a range of roster systems.

He said good rest depended on strict routine and consistent rosters.

"You just get on there and do your two weeks, go home — and while you're on that shift, you work, either full-time day shift or full-time night shift," Mr McLenann said.

"[There was] no juggling to try and manage your roster and your sleep and all the rest of it.

"An even-time roster solves all the dramas about flights, beds and the like."

Dr Dunican agreed consistency was key to good sleep, but said there was no perfect roster.

"I wish there was, then I would sleep on a bed of money," he joked.

But he said emerging research pointed to a promising system: a week of day shift, a week off, a week of nights, a week off.

"It's better from an employee satisfaction perspective … it basically lessens the time at work," he said.

"But with that comes a little bit less cash, as opposed to working a two [on] and one [off] roster, so people don't make as much money.

"It also increases costs for companies as well [which] have to have more flights, more accommodation and more transportation."

Routine key for all shift workers 

For Mr McLennan, a good roster goes hand in hand with a good personal routine on site.

"[It's better to] stay in a routine [even on night shift] … you wake up at three in the afternoon, get a couple hours of sunlight, to boost your batteries, do some exercise" he said.

"Stay within a routine, regular diet, no alcohol."

Dr Dunican backed that system, and said it could be applied to anyone working in shifts — not just in the resources sector.

"There's lots of incorrect strategies happening out there, where people consume alcohol, hazardous levels, to try to fall asleep, eat the wrong food, and so on … so there's a lot more we can do on individual education as well," he said.

Shifting industry focus

According to Dr Dunican, the mining industry was starting to take sleep seriously, but he said more work was needed to protect the sleep health of workers in WA's number-one sector.