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A Fatigue/Risk Index to assess work schedules

Ein Fatigue/Risk Index, zur Entwicklung von Schichtarbeitsplänen

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Zusammenfassung

Es wird ein Ermüdungs-/Gefährdungs-Index entwickelt, mit dem die Erschöpfung und das Risiko bestimmt werden können, die sich aus einem Schichtarbeitsplan ergeben.

Beide Indizien basieren auf Literaturübersichten und berücksichtigen neue Erkenntnisse insbesondere solche, die kumulative Effekte einbeziehen.

Der Ermüdungs- und derGefährdungs-Index wurden beide aus drei verschiedenen Komponenten entwickelt: (i) ein kumulativer Anteil basierend auf dem Arbeitsmuster bis hin zu jedem beliebigen Schichtplan, (ii) ein Anteil der die Belastung, den Beginn der Arbeit, die Dauer und die Tageszeit während der Schicht berücksichtigt und (iii) eine Komponente, die die Art der Arbeit, die tatsächlich genommenen und geplanten Arbeitspausen berücksichtigt.

Die neuen Ermüdungs- und Gefährdungs-Indizes stellen eine einfache Methode zum Erfassen und Vergleichen von Schichtarbeitsplänen zur Verfügung. Sie basieren auf speziellen, mathematischen Modellen für Trends der Ermüdung und für eine Risikoabschätzung. Die Indizes können helfen, konzipierte Schichtpläne auszuwerten und sie erlauben es, Parameter so lange zu ändern, bis die Ermüdung und das Risiko sich in akzeptablen Grenzen befinden.

Summary

This paper describes our development of Fatigue and Risk Indices that allow users to assess the likely fatigue and risk associated with a given work schedule. Both indices are based on literature reviews and take account of recent developments in the field, especially those related to cumulative effects.

The Fatigue and the Risk Indices were both constructed from three separate components, namely: (i) a cumulative component based on the pattern of work leading up to any given shift, (ii) a duty timing component concerned with the effect of start time, shift length and the time of day throughout the shift, and (iii) a job type/breaks component which relates to the activity being undertaken and the provision of breaks during the shift.

The new Fatigue and Risk Indices provide users with a simple method for assessing and comparing work schedules based on the sophisticated mathematical modelling of trends in fatigue and risk measures. They can inform users’ decisions about the desirability of particular work schedules, and allow the user to vary the various parameters until fatigue and risk are judged to be within acceptable limits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Anthropologie Appliquée (LAA) – Ergonomie – Comportement et Interactions (EA 4070), Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006, Paris, France

    S. Folkard

  2. Body Rhythms and Shiftwork Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, UK

    S. Folkard

  3. Centre for Human Sciences, QinetiQ, Farnborough, UK

    K. A. Robertson & M. B. Spencer

Authors
  1. S. Folkard
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  2. K. A. Robertson
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  3. M. B. Spencer
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Correspondence to S. Folkard.

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Folkard, S., Robertson, K.A. & Spencer, M.B. A Fatigue/Risk Index to assess work schedules. Somnologie 11, 177–185 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-007-0308-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-007-0308-6

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