Fatigue and Aviation Maintenance

The present research project combined qualitative and quantitative research elements in an attempt to examine fatigue, sleep disturbances, and related coping strategies for shift workers in aviation maintenance. These workers constitute a class of shift workers whose performance is linked to critical flight concerns involving the safety of airplane crew and passengers. The literature reveals that circadian rhythm and related sleep disturbances and fatigue linked to shift work are associated with increased accidents, injuries and even airplane malfunctions. The research moved from a comprehensive literature review to an empirical component surveying aviation maintenance shift workers on their sleep strategies. The project includes a statistical analysis of a survey conducted by the researcher. The survey was conducted with a total of 60 aviation maintenance shift workers, divided into three groups based on shift. Results revealed the different strategies employed by workers to reduce shift-related fatigue and sleep disturbances. The survey generally tended to reinforce findings in the literature regarding the use of these strategies.

Recommendations are presented for further research, along with an identification of "best practices" than can be adopted both aviation shift workers and their employers to ensure that workers' health and well-bei

. . .
rhythm disruption and the disruption of social interactions due to working odd hours. Cox, et al (1998) have suggested that there is some evidence that at about age 40, shift work could become even more stressful. Even when shift workers are encouraged to rotate times on and off duty and to stagger their shifts, the physiological transition from one shift to another is a source of stress. Cox, et al (1998), contend that the prevailing attitude of shift work research is that shift schedules should ideally rotate clockwise. However, while this is the conventional wisdom, the reality of shift work is that many workers are permanently or semi-permanently assigned to one single shift in the belief that such stability will reduce the physiological, psychological, and social stressors experienced by the shift workers. Cox, et al (1998), further argue that the proactive aviation company will recognize the stressors that are associated with shift work and take steps to reduce, if not entirely eliminate, these negative aspects of shift work from the workplace environment. Such actions may include, but not necessarily be limited to, providing napping opportunities as a measure for improving alertness on night shifts, implementing co
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Circadian Information, Effects Shift, Function Circadian, Aviation Organization, Similarly Graham, Dayton Fandray, Zeit Geber, Henderson Burt, Rayman Froom, Research Questions, shift workers, aviation maintenance, human factors, circadian rhythms, night shift, circadian information, effects shift, circadian information 2000, information 2000, maintenance workers, aviation maintenance workers, waterhouse 1993, henderson burt 1998, fatigue sleep disturbances, workers aviation maintenance,
Approximate Word count = 9757
Approximate Pages = 39 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Fatigue and Aviation Maintenance