Abstract The purpose of this publication is to discuss the issues related to the operator sleep deficiency, its effects and the resulting risk. The issue is discussed on the example of a pilot, as a position in which the probability of occurrence of the phenomenon is high, with consequences of its occurrence that can be very severe. Despite the fact, the authors try to present the issues in a universal way enabling reference to a wide spectrum of different types of operators. In the article, concepts such as risk and fatigue are characterized. Furthermore, short and long-term fatigue are discussed, as well as the impact of shift work on human health and reliability. The second part presents methods of fatigue monitoring useful in aviation. The summary emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to the issue of crew fatigue in the management and the need for actions before commencing with work.