ABSTRACT
This review is an extract from the original report (Collins, et al. 2000) published by the Seafarers international Research Centre (SIRC), as part of their technical report series.
In a review of work hours, fatigue and safety at sea, Brown (1989) found little objective evidence of the effects of fatigue, although he did find anecdotal evidence regarding personal fatigue experiences. Seafarers reported that they were often expected to work continuously, under conditions of task-induced or environmental stress for excessive (in relation to other industries) periods of time. Respondents’ attributed a number of fatigue symptoms to their working arrangements that were in general agreement with research into fatigue effects (e.g. Bartlett, 1948 cited in Brown 1989). Thus the main objective in compiling this review follows from Brown’s (1989) assertion that long hours are a major contributor to fatigue and accidents at sea. Although there is a great deal of research into the effects of fatigue in industry generally, these results cannot automatically be applied to the offshore oil industry because of the unique combination
of working conditions. Thus, it is clear that in order to obtain an accurate picture of the extent of fatigue and its effects on rigs and support vessels, more specific research needs to be conducted in the field.
