step 1 / upload
Bring your rota as it is
Paste shifts, upload a CSV from Rotacloud, Deputy or BrightHR, or any spreadsheet. No reformatting.
Ingest walkthrough →Fatigue risk scoring · HSE Fatigue Risk Index · UK Working Time Regulations
The rota is
the hazard.
RotaPulse scores every shift against the HSE Fatigue Risk Index and flags risky patterns in plain English, so you can fix them before they become an incident, an inspection finding, or a fine.
- Free up to 10 workers
- Audit-ready PDF for CQC, DVSA, ORR
- The index Network Rail sets thresholds against
Amy Chenweek of 12 May
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
8
9
11
18
21
26
29
FRI climbs to 29 · by Saturday
seventh consecutive shift · night after 9h rest
A bad week doesn't look bad on a Tuesday.
Fatigue is cumulative. A roster shows you cells, not load. Scoring makes the pattern visible while you can still change it. Three steps, sixty seconds:
step 2 / score
Every shift gets an FRI score
Flags in plain English: “Seventh consecutive shift”. “Night shift after 9 hours rest”. “Over 60 hours in 7 days”.
How scoring works →step 3 / evidence
Download the proof
A compliance-ready PDF: scores, WTR flags, at-risk workers, declaration block. Built for inspections.
Why this is defensible →Fixed on a Tuesday, not investigated on a Friday.
When a shift breaches a rule, the engine tells you the smallest change that resolves it: extend one break, move one start time. Accept the changes you can make and download the fixed rota, a corrected week you can hand straight back to your scheduling tool. When a swap request lands, check it against the worker's previous 21 days, so whoever approves it can see what it does to the pattern. The manager who uses this walks into their CQC inspection with twelve weeks of scored, versioned rotas, and walks out again in twenty minutes.
suggested fix · move Sat night to Mon · FRI 29 → 14 · 0 WTR flags
fixed-rota.csv · 7 WTR flags → 0 · 12 of 96 shifts changed
swap check · proposed night vs last 21 days · elevated · before approval
app.rotapulse.co.uk · live workspace
Real screen from a live workspace. Or try the live demo grid →
You don't have to make the case. Three regulators already made it.
One in four high-risk workplace accidents involve fatigue, and H&S fines have no upper limit. Those numbers are real, and they are not why you should care. They are why the people above you will.
Not in a regulated sector? Fatigue doesn't check your industry. RotaPulse works for any UK shift-based team, free up to 10 workers.
“Complying with the Working Time Regulations alone is not enough to manage the risk of fatigue.”
Health and Safety Executive, fatigue guidance. The legal floor and the safe floor are not the same line.
How we compare
Honestly, including when the answer is “not us”. For large rail primes with 200+ safety-critical workers, the incumbent is probably right for you. For everyone else:
| RotaPulse | Fatigue360 | Doing nothing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, £49 / £99 / £199 per month; Enterprise quoted | Not published on their site | Free until it isn't |
| Start without a sales call | Yes | Demo required | n/a |
| Algorithm | HSE FRI (RR446) | HSE Fatigue Calculator | None |
| Fixes, not just flags | Suggested fixes + fixed rota export | Assessment reports | n/a |
| Fatigue check on shift swaps | Yes, real 21-day history | Not offered | None |
// the score is never a guess
The score is never a guess.
A black box should never decide who is too tired to drive a train. So the scoring engine is deterministic: a pure, versioned calculation of the HSE FRI, reproducible from its inputs. AI is only ever used to write explanations. It never produces, alters, or decides a score.
Every score is reproducible
Engine version, compliance profile, and raw inputs are stored alongside every result. Any score from any date can be verified independently.
Plain-English warnings
Every threshold breach generates a written warning in the shift record. Inspectors read it directly. No interpretation needed.
UK hosted, full export
Data stays in UK and EU regions, never used to train models. Owners can export everything in CSV, any time, no call required.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HSE Fatigue Risk Index and why does it matter?
The HSE Fatigue Risk Index (FRI) is the algorithm published in HSE Research Report RR446. It calculates a fatigue score for a given shift based on start time, duration, rest since the previous shift, and cumulative shift count. The HSE withdrew its own calculator in June 2021 and has published no replacement and no recommended tool. The ORR's position is that it does not compel, endorse or advocate the use of any one tool over another. The method stays in wide use because it is published, documented and carries no licence conditions, and Network Rail's NR/L2/OHS/003 sets action thresholds against it.
The HSE retired their Excel FRI tool. Is RotaPulse the replacement?
The HSE withdrew their FRI Excel spreadsheet in June 2021 when its platform was no longer supported. RotaPulse uses the same RR446 algorithm in a modern interface: plain-English output, PDF compliance reports, a versioned audit log, and no Excel required. We are not affiliated with the HSE, but we are built on the same published methodology.
Will CQC accept a RotaPulse PDF as evidence of fatigue risk management?
The PDF documents fatigue scores and plain-English flags for every shift in the period, demonstrating that you actively scored, monitored, and documented the risk - which is what CQC looks for under Regulation 18 (Staffing). We cannot guarantee how an individual inspector will weigh any piece of evidence, but the report is designed to be audit-ready.
How is RotaPulse different from Fatigue360?
Both build on the HSE Fatigue and Risk Index. Fatigue360 is the rail incumbent, built primarily for Network Rail contractors; it does not publish pricing on its own site and requires a demo. RotaPulse is self-serve, starts free, publishes flat pricing, and is built for healthcare, logistics, and any UK shift-based employer. Full comparison at /vs/fatigue360.
We already use Rotacloud, Deputy, or BrightHR. Does this replace them?
No. Those tools manage your rota; RotaPulse scores its fatigue risk, so they are complementary. RotaPulse now connects to RotaCloud and Deputy directly to pull the rota in automatically, and imports a CSV export from any of them, including BrightHR.
Does it work for healthcare rotas specifically?
Yes. Healthcare presets apply NHS-aligned thresholds, including consecutive shift limits and overnight rest requirements. The PDF names CQC Regulation 18 and the HSSIB staff fatigue recommendations explicitly.
Can I use this for NR/L2/OHS/003 compliance?
RotaPulse uses the HSE FRI algorithm specified in NR/L2/OHS/003. It is not a certified FRMS and does not integrate with Sentinel, Causeway Donseed or Access Coins. If your site access, competence and fatigue records have to move as one system, a rail platform built around that equipment will suit you better. If you are working from a rota rather than a turnstile, and you need the pattern assessed and the assessment evidenced, RotaPulse covers the methodology.
What happens to our worker data?
Worker data is processed and stored within the UK and EU only: Vercel (London region) and Supabase (EU region). We do not train models on your data. Full details on the /trust page and in the privacy policy.
How long does it take to score a rota?
Instantly. A 10-worker, 4-week rota scores with full plain-English flags in under 2 seconds. The PDF report generates in under 10 seconds.
What does a 'high risk' flag actually mean?
It means the FRI score is in the range the HSE identifies as requiring management attention. It does not mean the shift is illegal or that an incident will occur. It means the pattern creates a statistically elevated fatigue level your H&S risk assessment should address.
Can I export the PDF with my own branding?
Yes, on Growth and Enterprise: upload a logo and pick a brand colour in Settings. Starter and Free reports show the RotaPulse mark and your organisation name. The PDF is generated client-side from the report page, so the same branding applies to in-browser print and PDF export.
We have multiple sites. How does multi-site work?
Each site has its own workspace, compliance profile, workers and history. Cross-workspace reporting is on the roadmap. Running multiple sites today? Email compliance@rotapulse.co.uk and we will set up your workspaces under Enterprise pricing.