Let’s face it, mariners need to be experts in sleep and be able to stay away on even the longest watch. From split watch schedules to operations requiring “All hands On Deck” sleep not only comes at a premium but is a critically important factor in accident prevention and remaining healthy. To highlight these issues we have brought you many articles on the subject including the popular “Night Shift A Cause Of Cancer” and “Get Some Sleep! Accident Photo Of The Week“. We will continue the series with tips on how to cheat sleep.
Editorial Note: Sleep loss and driving ships is a deadly combination. We don’t suggest you ever attempt to cheat sleep, we simply hope to broaden your knowledge in the subject.
Unofficial Networks, the parent company of gCaptain, runs all of its email servers with commercial version of google’s popular email client gMail. There were many reasons for this choice but they all focus in on reliable and innovative features in a simple and easy to use format. So you can imagine our surprise when a new feature showed up called “gMail Goggles”. This service helps prevent regrettable circumstances resulting from late-night drunken e-mailing and works quite simply. we will let google explain;
When you enable Mail Goggles, it will check that you’re really sure you want to send that late night Friday email. And what better way to check than by making you solve a few simple math problems after you click send to verify you’re in the right state of mind?
Simple and effective. While some have suggested breath analyzers be installed on the bridge of all ships might the solution be much simpler? Is intoxication still a major problem among watchkeepers or is the occasional lack of sleep, stress and disorientation among watchkeepers a larger problem? Regardless, a few simple math problems could help determine your ability to stand watch and give confidence to the person you are relieving.
Endurance involves the body’s ability to maintain performance within safe limits while enduring psychological, environmental, and physiological challenges, Stevens said. Health, nutrition, stress, sleep, work schedules and noise levels all affect crew operations.
The issue in any situation involving transportation, whether it’s airplane, train, even a car or truck, is the fatigue issue, said Walter Blessey, chief executive officer of Blessey Marine Services in New Orleans. If someone goes to sleep when they’re involved in steering or running a piece of equipment, there can be serious consequences – maybe death.
Crew endurance management systems (CEMS) involve four categories:
* environmental factors, which are the effects of ambient temperature, noise and vibration on the human body;
* operational factors, which are the effects of company and boat policies;
* physiological factors, which are the effects of sleep, diet, exercise and shifts on the body and performance;
* psychological factors, which are the effects of stress and working conditions on performance.
Why is this an Important topic? Click this photo for the answer:
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