Study on Pre-shift Fatigue Identification Indicators for Ferryboat Drivers Based on Physiological Metrics

Vessel safety is always a critical focus in waterway transportation. As the primary component of waterway transportation, humans bear the principal responsibility for prevention and control efforts. This study focuses on ferryboat drivers and aims to explore indicators for identifying pre-shift fatigue states among them using physiological detection methods. Considering the unique nature of ferryboat driver work and the need for rapid pre-shift testing, this experiment collected self-assessments of mental state, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and reaction time (RT) from 12 drivers. Using drivers’ subjective evaluations as the basis for fatigue state classification, statistics revealed that the mean values of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), simple reaction time (SRT), choice reaction time (CRT), and auditory reaction time (ART) were all lower in normal states compared to fatigued states. Pairwise t-test analysis showed significant differences in physiological data between the two fatigue states, indicating that SBP, DBP, SRT, CRT, and ART can serve as indicators for identifying pre-shift fatigue states among ferryboat drivers. The findings of this study provide important evidence for identifying pre-shift fatigue states in crew members, which is crucial for preventing maritime accidents caused by fatigue driving and ensuring safe navigation of ships.