Citation

Baulk SD, Kandelaars KJ, Lamond N, Roach GD, Dawson D, Fletcher A. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 2007; 5(1): 74-77.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Japanese Society of Sleep Research, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1479-8425.2006.00249.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between workload and objective/subjective fatigue for a regularly rotating work schedule. Twenty male shift-workers working a 12-h schedule at a metallurgic smelter were involved in the study. Data were collected for a 14-day period while the participants continued their work schedule and duties. Shifts with high and low workload were separated and compared. Trends were observed for the increase of fatigue with a higher workload. Subjective fatigue was significantly higher at the end of the 12-h night shift (P less than 0.05), and psychomotor vigilance test lapses occurred during the first half of the night shift (P less than 0.05). These results imply that the relationships between workload, performance and subjective fatigue are complex and that further research is required.