Summary
The safety of a ship depends substantially on its bridge watchkeepers, whose alertness and efficiency must be maintained at all hours of the day and night. Fatigue, circadian rhythms, and sleep disruption occasioned by the unusual working hours of these personnel may all affect their performance. A methodology for assessing the magnitude of this problem is proposed. The application of this methodology in a large-scale shipboard study of merchant mariners on extended voyages is then described, and details given of the techniques used to measure sleep and activity, and temporal variations in a range of physiological and psychological parameters. A summary of the data collected in the study is provided as a reference point for the reports on the different aspects of the results that follow in subsequent articles.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aschoff J, Hoffmann K, Pohl H, Wever R (1975) Re-entrainment of circadian rhythms after phase-shifts of the Zeitgeber. Chronobiologia 2:23–78
Blake MJF (1971) Temperament and time of day. In: Colquhoun WP (ed) Biological rhythms and human performance. Academic Press, London, pp 109–148
Colquhoun WP (1985) Hours of work at sea: watchkeeping schedules, circadian rhythms and efficiency. Ergonomics 28:637–653
Colquhoun WP, Blake MJF, Edwards RS (1968) Experimental studies of shift-work I: A comparison of ‘rotating’ and ‘stabilized’ 4-hour shift systems. Ergonomics 11: 437–453
Condon R, Knauth P, Klimmer F, Colquhoun P, Herrmann H, Rutenfranz J (1984) Adjustment of the oral temperature rhythm to a fixed watchkeeping system on board ship. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 54:173–180
Edholm OG (1966) The assessment of habitual activity. In: Evang K, Lange Andersen K (eds) Physical activity in health and disease. Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, pp 187–197
Goethe WHG, Herrmann R, Low A, Vuksanovic P (1986) Wachsysteme. Eine Form der Schichtarbeit. Historischer Überblick. Internationale Umfrage. Nationale Umfrage. Teil I. In: Goethe WHG, Rutenfranz J, Colquhoun WP (Projektl.) Abschlußbericht des Forschungsvorhabens „Schiff der Zukunft” — ET 83 b — der Arbeitswissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung. Hamburg, Dortmund, Brighton, pp l1–18 (Unpubl. report)
Graeber RC (1982) Alterations in performance following rapid transmeridian flight. In: Brown FM, Graeber RC (eds) Rhythmic aspects of behavior. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ, pp 173–212
Klimmer F, Knauth P, Neidhart B, Condon R, Whelpton Ch, Herrmann H, Rutenfranz J, Colquhoun WP (1984) Belastung und Beanspruchung des nautischen Personals durch mehrmonatige konstante Wachsysteme bei der Schiffsfiihrung eines Öl-Großtankers. Arbeitsmed Sozialmed Präventivmed 19:161–166
Knauth P, Emde E, Rutenfranz J, Kiesswetter E, Smith P (1981) Re-entrainment of body temperature in field studies of shiftwork. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 49:137–149
Knauth R, Rutenfranz J (1976) Experimental shift work studies of permanent night, and rapidly rotating, shift systems. I. Circadian rhythm of body temperature and reentrainment at shift change. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 37:125–137
Kringe K-P, Neidhart B, Lippmann Ch (1982) Practical aspects of the routine determination by HPLC of free noradrenaline and adrenaline in urine and plasma. In: Molnar I (ed) Practical aspects of modern HPLC. de Gruyter, Berlin, pp 241–273
Low A (1985) Wachsysteme auf Schiffen — Ergebnisse einer weltweiten Umfrage. Ortung and Navigation, pp 397–404
Mann H, Rutenfranz J, Aschoff J (1972) Untersuchungen zur Tagesperiodik der Reaktionszeit bei Nachtarbeit. I. Die Phasenlage des positiven Scheitelwertes und Einflüsse des Schlafs auf die Schwingungsbreite. Int Arch Arbeitsmed 29:159–174
Monk TH, Aplin LC (1980) Spring and autumn daylight saving time changes: studies of adjustment in sleep timings, mood and efficiency. Ergonomics 23:167–178
Monk TH, Fort A (1983) Cosina — a cosine curve fitting program suitable for small computers. Int J Chronobiol 8:193–224
Neidhart B, Kringe K-P, Deutschmann P (1983a) Critical investigation of the separation of noradrenaline and adrenaline from urine samples using Al2O3 as adsorbant. J Radioanal Chem 79:345–353
Neidhart B, Kringe K-P, Lippmann C, Brockmann W (1983b) Richtigkeit und Genauigkeit der Catecholamin-Analyse: ein Intra-Laboratorium-Methodenvergleich. Fres Z Anal Chem 315:232–240
Neidhart B, Lippmann Ch, Baumhoer G, Deutschmann P (1983c) Alternativen zur radioenzymatischen Catecholaminbestimmung. Verh Dt Ges Arbeitsmed 23:541–542
Otto H, Dillmann P, Knauth P, Rutenfranz J (1981) Ein tragbarer digitaler Meßwertspeicher mit hoher Auflosung fur Körpertemperaturen. Biomed Techn 26:9–12
Ramsey JD (1983) Heat and cold. In: Hockey R (ed) Stress and fatigue in human performance. Wiley, Chichester, pp 33–60
Rodahl K, Vokac Z (1977) Work stress in Norwegian trawler fishermen. Ergonomics 20:633–642
Rutenfranz J, Aschoff J, Mann H (1972) The effects of a cumulative sleep deficit, duration of preceding sleep period and body-temperature on multiple choice reaction time. In: Colquhoun WP (ed) Aspects of human efficiency. The English Universities Press, London, pp 217–229
Rutenfranz J, Colquhoun WP (1979) Circadian rhythms in human performance. Scand J Work Environ Health 5: 167–177
Rutenfranz J, Seliger V, Andersen KL, Ilmarinen J, Flöring R, Rutenfranz M, Klimmer F (1977) Erfahrungen mit einem transportablen Gerät zur kontinuierlichen Registrierung der Herzfrequenz fur Zeiten bis zu 24 Stunden. Eur J Applied Physiol 36:171–185
Tomczak S, Wegner R, Felixberger F, Szadkowski D (1981) Einfluß der Arbeitsbelastung auf den circadianen Rhythmus des Cortisolspiegels während einer Transatlantikseereise. Verh Dt Ges Arbeitsmed 21:349–355
Wegner R, Tomczak S, Felixberger F, Szadkowski D (1981) deEinfluß des Zeitzonenwechsels auf das Befinden und den endogenen Rhythmus von Seeleuten. Verh Dt Ges Arbeitsmed 21:343–348
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Partly supported by a grant from the West German Ministry for Technology and Research, Project „Schiff der Zukunft”, Part ET83b
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Colquhoun, W.P., Rutenfranz, J., Goethe, H. 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 60, 321–329 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405665
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405665