Perspectives on prevention, control and risk management of occupational fatigue among seafarers

Abstract

Occupational fatigue of the ship crew is an important risk factor in the maritime industry. The probability of ship accidents significantly increases with the fatigue accumulation during the sea voyage. Moreover, long-term fatigue exposure contributes to occupational health issues among seafarers. The constantly growing economical demands of the sea shipping market result in increased workload on both the deck crew and the nautical officers, which results in high frequency of fatigue-related accidents. Thus, development of novel methods for fatigue control and prevention is urgently needed in the seafaring industry. This narrative review aims to summarize current knowledge on causes, mechanisms and consequences of occupational fatigue among seafarers. To show the problem in a broader context, the scope of the review was extended to cover relevant topics in other fields of science including physiology, pharmacology and microelectronics. Special attention was paid to the recent progress in development of Fatigue Risk Management Systems in the maritime sector. In conclusion, this review presents a holistic model of occupational fatigue progression in the seafaring settings.