Evaluating the Effect of Fatigue on Cognitive and Visual/Perceptual Performance at the Beginning and End of Each Shift in a 12-Hour Five-Day Rotating Workweek

Abstract

The effect of cognitive and visual/perceptual fatigue on shift workers may not be the same for non-shift workers since alternating shifts create enormous disruptions to the circadian rhythms of the workers. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of fatigue induced by alternating shift schedules on shift workers' cognitive and visual/perceptual performance at the beginning and end of each work shift during the workweek. The primary instrument used in this study was the Automated Performance Testing System (APTS), which is a human performance measuring system containing eight various cognitive and temporal factors tests. The findings suggested that cognitive performance at the beginning of the shift was significantly higher than at the end of the shift but similar degradations in visual/spatial performance were not found.

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