Study of Commercial Vehicle Driver Rest Periods and Recovery of Performance in an Operational Environment

Safety-consciousness has never been so evident in the road-transport industry as it is now. The Ministry of Transport deserves much credit for this awareness but is now in danger of actually inhibiting progress through its enthusiasm to make regulations on detail engineering features and by being tardy in keeping regulations in line with latest scientific knowledge. Commercial vehicles present their own special safety problems as a result of the very varied operational environment in which they work. Loadings and weight distributions change markedly from journey to journey. Regulations impose tight restrictions. Noise, limited rearward vision, and harsh suspension produce driver-fatigue problems. Increase in operating speeds is making fresh assessments of handling, aerodynamics and braking quite urgent. Much remains to be done even though big advances have already been made and British technology in commercial-vehicle design now leads the world in many respects.

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Rheometers, Bioreactors, and Vocalization Forces: Using Basic Science Investigations to Help the Voices of Teachers

Perspectives on Voice and Voice Disorders ◽

10.1044/vvd18.3.119 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 119-125

Author(s):

Sarah Klemuk

Keyword(s):

Basic Science ◽

Tissue Growth ◽

University Of Iowa ◽

Support Cell ◽

Rest Periods ◽

Collaborative Studies ◽

Professional Voice Users ◽

The University ◽

Science Investigations ◽

Professional Voice

Abstract Collaborative studies at the University of Iowa and the National Center for Voice and Speech aim to help the voices of teachers. Investigators study how cells and tissues respond to vibration doses simulating typical vocalization patterns of teachers. A commercially manufactured instrument is uniquely modified to support cell and tissue growth, to subject tissues to vocalization-like forces, and to measure viscoelastic properties of tissues. Through this basic science approach, steps toward safety limits for vocalization and habilitating rest periods for professional voice users will be achieved.

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Detachment From Work in Airport Hotels

Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors ◽

10.1027/2192-0923/a000019 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 20-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ben J. Searle

Keyword(s):

Home Base ◽

Airline Pilots ◽

Psychological Detachment ◽

Rest Periods ◽

Psychological Detachment From Work

The work of airline pilots is demanding and must be followed by rest periods (slips) so that pilots recover sufficiently well to keep flying safely. When slips occur away from home base, pilots are usually accommodated in a hotel. This paper reviews the phenomenon of psychological detachment from work (i.e., not thinking about work) and its implications for pilot accommodation and recovery. The review suggests that pilots accommodated in hotels located in or close to airports may be less able to psychologically detach from work during slips, with implications for recovery, fatigue, and ultimately safety. The paper presents a rationale for considering psychological detachment from work when evaluating the quality of hotels chosen for pilots.

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