Sleepiness and alertness in American industries
Recent evidence that industrial accidents may be caused in part by shiftworkers' lack of alertness has caused growing concern at the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and within the scientific community. The purpose of the study reported in this paper was threefold: (1) Is sleepiness on the job specific to utility plants (2) Are performance and safety problems caused by sleepiness specific to utility plants (3) Are specific shift schedules associated with a higher prevalence of sleepiness Findings indicate sleepiness on the job among shiftworkers is a widespread problem, not limited to the nuclear power industry. The most common solution in American industry is to overstaff each shift and discipline sleeping employees. Results show this is not effective. A more proactive solution is recommended including some of the following: (1) Provide employees education to assist adjustment to shiftwork. (2) Design and implement shift schedules that are more compatible with human physiological capabilities. (3) Allow officially sanctioned napping on shift as is done in Japan. (4) Divide 6-, 8-, or 12-h shifts into smaller blocks of 2 to 3 h of primary duty. (5) make the environment where employees work more conductive to alertness. (6) Develop a firehouse type of schedule where some employees sleep throughout the night, but are awakened if operational problems arise. (7) Provide incentives to employees to adjust their life style to the night shift and reward them with time off.
- OSTI ID:
- 5322095
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-890604-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 90-004029
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 59; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society, Atlanta, GA (USA), 4-8 Jun 1989; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR OPERATORS
ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES
DESIGN
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
HUMAN FACTORS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSIOLOGY
TRAINING
US NRC
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PERSONNEL
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
SAFETY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US ORGANIZATIONS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety