Techera, U; Hallowell, M and Littlejohn, R (2019) Worker fatigue in electrical-transmission and distribution-line construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(1): 04018119, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Within the construction industry, electrical transmission and distribution workers (TD workers) account for one of the highest fatality rates. Because of the hazardous nature of the work, there is little margin for human error. Previous research shows that fatigue exacerbates human error, thus representing a critical safety factor for TD work. Although researchers have studied the causes and consequences of fatigue in laboratory settings and in other industries, there is no research specific to TD worker fatigue. To address this knowledge gap and explore the principal fatigue causes and consequences as recognized by the workers; 143 TD power company workers were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Additionally, fatigue identification and mitigation techniques relevant to TD work and the impact of fatigue in accident causation were discovered. The results revealed that TD workers perceive extreme temperatures and long shifts to be the principal causes of their fatigue, resulting in reduced work pace and the loss of attention as the primary consequences. The results suggest that fatigue laboratory research may not directly apply to field conditions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | construction industry, questionnaire, mitigation, safety factor, fatigue, laboratory |
| Subjects: | health conditions and diseases, research management, industry analysis, financial risk, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Cost Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here