Having set a foundation of air traffic control and the risks fatigue in the industry, it is now important to qualify and quantify fatigue. Controller fatigue and, even simpler, human fatigue is very challenging to define given the number and complexity of variables and causal factors. Causal factors can include a lack of stimulation or boredom, disruptions to circadian rhythms, exhaustion due to physical and mental exertion. In simple terms, fatigue can simply be defined as weariness. According to Salazar (2007):
―Fatigue is a condition characterized by increased discomfort with lessened capacity for work, reduced efficiency of accomplishment, loss of power or capacity to respond to stimulation, and is usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. As stated earlier, fatigue can …show more content…
This traditional view is focused on either short or long term exhaustion due continuous task performance. The aviation industry has further expounded on the traditional view of fatigue and asserts that performance and levels of alertness are significantly impacted by periods of extended wakefulness without ample sleep recovery. As a result of significant aviation accidents and incidents, fatigue studies in aviation have found that sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm compromise are just as significant as task exposure. Increasingly complex around-the-clock operations create greater than ever fatigue concerns regarding aviation safety.
Long duty hours, limited time off, shift work/ rotational schedules, reduced recovery periods are inherent factors plaguing the modern aviation industry. Until now, all were considered as a part of the nature of the work and largely ignored or minimalized. Increased dependence on air travel, complexity, and volume call for increased safety measures that dictate a final resolution to the risks associated with
―Fatigue is a condition characterized by increased discomfort with lessened capacity for work, reduced efficiency of accomplishment, loss of power or capacity to respond to stimulation, and is usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. As stated earlier, fatigue can …show more content…
This traditional view is focused on either short or long term exhaustion due continuous task performance. The aviation industry has further expounded on the traditional view of fatigue and asserts that performance and levels of alertness are significantly impacted by periods of extended wakefulness without ample sleep recovery. As a result of significant aviation accidents and incidents, fatigue studies in aviation have found that sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm compromise are just as significant as task exposure. Increasingly complex around-the-clock operations create greater than ever fatigue concerns regarding aviation safety.
Long duty hours, limited time off, shift work/ rotational schedules, reduced recovery periods are inherent factors plaguing the modern aviation industry. Until now, all were considered as a part of the nature of the work and largely ignored or minimalized. Increased dependence on air travel, complexity, and volume call for increased safety measures that dictate a final resolution to the risks associated with