Preparing the published article.
Managing Fatigue in Automated Plants
Automation changes fatigue; it does not remove it.
Where fatigue shows up
| Situation | Risk |
|---|---|
| Monitoring screens | Reduced vigilance over long periods |
| Night shifts | Circadian effects on reaction time |
| Standby roles | Under-stimulation followed by sudden demand |
| Maintenance at night | Higher error rate on complex tasks |
| Alert fatigue | Ignoring alarms that are usually false |
Practical measures
- Rotate tasks and provide genuine breaks.
- Review alarm rates; nuisance alarms destroy attention.
- Design roles so people are not only watching screens.
Fatigue management is a management system question. Follow site policy and local requirements.