Worker Fatigue. An Overview of Subjective and Objective Methods of Measurement

Abstract

Fatigue, as a psychophysiological state, is a normal human condition experienced as a result of mental or physical activity that consumes one's biological resources. In order to relieve its symptoms and to restore human's ability to continue work, a return to a fresh, relaxed state is required. It is usually obtained by an adequate amount of rest and/or sleep, but under the presence of some disadvantageous factors, such as too hot or too cold microclimate, high levels of noise at a workplace, work overload, psychological stress, lack of motivation, and others, e.g., family or health-related problems, this needed amount of rest simply may not fit into a normal 24-hour cycle of activity, resulting in the fatigue built-up. A fatigued worker becomes prone to performance deterioration, loss of concentration, misjudgment of his/her environmental safety, hazardous behaviors, anxiety and sleepiness. Therefore, worker's fatigue management is essential for improving productivity and quality of work, as well as for building worker's satisfaction, motivation and overall wellbeing. To supervise fatigue, appropriate tools for its measurement are required. This paper presents an overview of existing methods of fatigue measurement, including psychological (self-reports and questionnaires), physiological (i.e., changes in various body functions), and performance related (e.g., reaction time, sensory abilities) ones.

Keywords: Human Performance, Fatigue Metric, Fatigue Assessment, Fatigue Management System

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100095