Summary
A trial of an alternative to the traditional 4-on/8-off watchkeeping system was made on a container ship during a round trip from Europe to the Far East. The three navigating officers on the ship operated the new system, which involved “compressed” working hours with a long unbroken period of rest, during two sections of the voyage, one of which included six stops at ports. Despite unforeseen problems arising mainly from these stops, questionnaire responses concerning the new system were not altogether unfavourable to it, and daily records kept by the officers gave some support to the hypothesis that sleep would be better than under the traditional system. However, a number of difficulties were encountered; these are discussed in relation to the design of future studies of alternative watchkeeping systems.
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Partly supported by a grant from the West German Ministry for Technology and Research, Project “Schiff der Zukunft”, Part ET 83b.
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Fletcher, N., Colquhoun, W.P., Knauth, P. et al. Work at sea: a study of sleep, and of circadian rhythms in physiological and psychological functions, in watchkeepers on merchant vessels. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 61, 51–57 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381607
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381607