A Preliminary Examination of Railroad Dispatcher Workload, Stress, and Fatigue [Research Results]

014755782002PDFTech ReportRR02-02RailroadsDispatchersWorkloadStress (Psychology)Fatigue (Physiological condition)Field studiesSleepData collectionRailroadsSafety and Human FactorsI83: Accidents and the Human FactorUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Railroad AdministrationRaslear, ThomasUnited States. Federal Railroad AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionRailroad dispatchers play a critical role in the safe operation of the nation\u2019s railroads. In response to concerns raised by two Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety audits of dispatching operations in the U.S., FRA\u2019s Office of Research and Development undertook a study to examine levels of workload, stress and fatigue in the railroad dispatching environment. A field study at two dispatching operations, one freight and one passenger, provided data for this analysis. Data collected in the field included physiological measures as well as self-report data, third party observation and paper records. The results of this study include findings with respect to dispatcher characteristics and their work environment as well as levels of workload, stress, and fatigue.78