HOURS OF WORK AND REST OF CANADIAN ICE NAVIGATORS ON BOARD FOREIGN-REGISTERED VESSELS IN ARCTIC WATERS

This report studies the effects of current duty-rest schedules on the fatigue levels of Canadian ice navigators working on foreign vessels in Arctic waters. The investigation included: (1) a review of the literature on regulations and navigator fatigue; (2) development of a questionnaire and a duty-rest log; (3) interviews with ice navigators willing to complete the questionnaires and log their activities over a number of voyages; (4) collection and analysis of the data obtained; and (5) formulation of recommendations. The data analysis indicated that, for ice navigators, fatigue is an acute rather than a chronic problem, associated with periods of prolonged duty and time of day. Poor scheduling is an important factor, but environmental and working conditions, as well as workplace design, also have significant effects. Fixed schedules based on a 24-hour period were recommended, in so far as this is possible in the demanding conditions of the Arctic. The importance of naps and of improving the other factors contributing to fatigue was also stressed.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport Canada

  Transportation Development Centre, 800 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 600
  Montreal, Quebec  Canada  H3B 2X1

  Humansystems Incorporated

  111 Farquhar Street
  Guelph, Ontario N1H 3N4,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Buck, L
  • Brooks, J
  • Webb, R
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 42 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data logging; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Foreign; Hours of labor; Ice navigation; Literature reviews; Physiological aspects; Questionnaires; Recommendations; Regulations; Rest periods; Shifts; Ship navigators; Ships; Working conditions; Workplace layout
• Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions; Canada
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Law; Marine Transportation; Research; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00936705
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TP 13207E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 12 2003 12:00AM