Fatigue in industry

Br J Ind Med. 1979 Aug;36(3):175-86. doi: 10.1136/oem.36.3.175.

Abstract

Physical fatigue is a painful phenomenon which is localised in overstressed muscles. Mental fatigue is a diffuse sensation of weariness; it is a functional state, one of several intermediate conditions between the two extremes of alarm and sleep. A neurophysiological model of fatigue, involving an activating and inhibitory system has been developed. Fatigue in industrial practice has clinical symptoms: psychic instability, fits of depression and increased liability to illness. Indicators of fatigue are work of performance, subjective feelings of fatigue, electroencephalography, flicker-fusion frequency and various psychomotor and mental tests. Several field studies do, to some extent, confirm the above-mentioned concept of fatigue.

MeSH terms

  • Automobile Driving
  • Boredom
  • Fatigue / etiology
  • Fatigue / metabolism
  • Fatigue / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Mental Fatigue / diagnosis
  • Mental Fatigue / etiology
  • Mental Fatigue / physiopathology*
  • Models, Biological
  • Muscle Contraction
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Muscles / physiopathology
  • Nervous System / physiopathology*
  • Occupational Diseases / etiology
  • Occupational Diseases / physiopathology*