Resumen de Caracterización del efecto de la fatiga sobre señales fisiológicas en controladores de tráfico marítimo
- español
Los controladores de tráfico marítimo o VTSOs (Vessel Traffic Services Operators) trabajan en un entorno muy especializado y de gran responsabilidad en el cual deben adecuarse a las situaciones especiales de cada puerto para atender las necesidades del tráfico marítimo internacional. Sumado a todo esto nos encontramos con un trabajo a turnos, nocturno, con una carga tanto mental como física. Todas estas situaciones conllevan a que los controladores acumulen fatiga y una desalineación circadiana, repercutiendo negativamente en su rendimiento provocando acumulación de errores, dificultades en mantener la atención, en percibir correctamente la información o a la hora de actuar con rapidez. Es por ello por lo que la fatiga en los controladores marítimos podría ser una amenaza potencial para la seguridad marítima, más si cabe con la inminente aparición en el escenario marítimo internacional de buques sin tripular, donde la figura del controlador se antoja más necesaria en el seguimiento y control de estos buques cuando empiecen a operar en un futuro cercano. El objetivo de este estudio es por tanto comprender los factores que afectan la fatiga en los controladores y tomar las contramedidas necesarias para prevenirla o mitigarla. La investigación se ha realizado en un entorno real de trabajo en los Centros Coordinadores de Salvamento en Cartagena y Gijón, durante las guardias normales de los controladores, utilizando para ello test psicológicos orientados a determinar la fatiga (Nasa-TLX, Stanford, Borg) y monitorizando a estos controladores en tiempo real a través de grabaciones termográficas como técnica no invasiva para obtener datos objetivos, para con todo ello, poder caracterizar las señales fisiológicas que determinan la aparición de la fatiga. Los resultados de este estudio nos muestran como la temperatura orofacial, concretamente en la zona de la nariz sufre una tendencia pronunciada de descenso según va avanzando la jornada de trabajo o en situaciones de alta densidad de comunicaciones VHF, confirmándose dichos resultados a través de los test psicológicos comentados anteriormente y resaltando como la falta de calidad del descanso, entorno y carga de trabajo afectan negativamente provocando la aparición de la fatiga
- English
Vessel Vessel Traffic Service Operators (VTSOs) are highly specialized personnel who contribute to the safe and efficient vessel traffic in a changing environment to which they must adapt, adjusting to the ports' features to efficiently meet the needs of international maritime traffic. In addition, we find shift work with night watches, both with a mental and physical workload. These situations lead operators to accumulate fatigue and circadian misalignment, negatively impacting operator performance, thus causing an increase in the number of errors, difficulties in maintaining attention, correctly perceiving information or acting quickly. This study has been developed in a real working environment, with traffic control situations and even rescue emergencies, and it is aimed at understanding the factors that preceded fatigue in VTSOs and taking the necessary countermeasures to prevent or reduce it. The research has been carried out in Cartagena & Gijon Maritime Rescue Coordinator Centers, during the VTSOs’ watches and it is geared to determining fatigue onset through the analysis of both subjective and objective data, by use of standardized specific testing like Nasa-TLX, Stanford, Borg, etc., and the use of non-invasive sensors i.e., thermographic cameras. The analysis of the thermographic results obtained shows how the orofacial temperature, specifically in the nose area, has a marked downward trend as the working day progresses or in situations of high density of radio communications, yielding the same results as in the psychological tests. Finally, I’d like to highlight the close relationship between the lack of quality of rest, the working midst and the workload as negative factors that trigger off the onset of fatigueService Operators (VTSOs) are highly specialized personnel who contribute to the safe and efficient vessel traffic in a changing environment to which they must adapt, adjusting toVessel Traffic Service Operators (VTSOs) are highly specialized personnel who contribute to the safe and efficient vessel traffic in a changing environment to which they must adapt, adjusting to the ports' features to efficiently meet the needs of international maritime traffic. In addition, we find shift work with night watches, both with a mental and physical workload. These situations lead operators to accumulate fatigue and circadian misalignment, negatively impacting operator performance, thus causing an increase in the number of errors, difficulties in maintaining attention, correctly perceiving information or acting quickly. This study has been developed in a real working environment, with traffic control situations and even rescue emergencies, and it is aimed at understanding the factors that preceded fatigue in VTSOs and taking the necessary countermeasures to prevent or reduce it. The research has been carried out in Cartagena & Gijon Maritime Rescue Coordinator Centers, during the VTSOs’ watches and it is geared to determining fatigue onset through the analysis of both subjective and objective data, by use of standardized specific testing like Nasa-TLX, Stanford, Borg, etc., and the use of non-invasive sensors i.e., thermographic cameras. The analysis of the thermographic results obtained shows how the orofacial temperature, specifically in the nose area, has a marked downward trend as the working day progresses or in situations of high density of radio communications, yielding the same results as in the psychological tests. Finally, I’d like to highlight the close relationship between the lack of quality of rest, the working midst and the workload as negative factors that trigger off the onset of fatigue the ports' features to efficiently meet the needs of international maritime traffic. In addition, we find shift work with night watches, both with a mental and physical workload. These situations lead operators to accumulate fatigue and circadian misalignment, negatively impacting operator performance, thus causing an increase in the number of errors, difficulties in maintaining attention, correctly perceiving information or acting quickly. This study has been developed in a real working environment, with traffic control situations and even rescue emergencies, and it is aimed at understanding the factors that preceded fatigue in VTSOs and taking the necessary countermeasures to prevent or reduce it. The research has been carried out in Cartagena & Gijon Maritime Rescue Coordinator Centers, during the VTSOs’ watches and it is geared to determining fatigue onset through the analysis of both subjective and objective data, by use of standardized specific testing like Nasa-TLX, Stanford, Borg, etc., and the use of non-invasive sensors i.e., thermographic cameras. The analysis of the thermographic results obtained shows how the orofacial temperature, specifically in the nose area, has a marked downward trend as the working day progresses or in situations of high density of radio communications, yielding the same results as in the psychological tests. Finally, I’d like to highlight the close relationship between the lack of quality of rest, the working midst and the workload as negative factors that trigger off the onset of fatigue
