Detection Tasks In Nuclear Power Plant Operation: Vigilance Decrement And Physiological Workload Monitoring

Keywords

Human performance; Individual differences; Nuclear power plant; Psychophysiology; Vigilance decrement; Workload

Abstract

Nuclear power plant (NPP) operators perform a variety of tasks that differ in mental workload. These include detection tasks that may be vulnerable to vigilance decrement. The present study used a simulation of NPP operation to investigate possible loss of vigilance during detection. Metrics used to assess operator functioning included subjective measures of workload and stress, physiological indices of workload, and objective performance. Detection, checking and response implementation tasks were compared, in the context of a simulated Emergency Operating Procedure (EOP). Study findings suggested three conclusions. First, detection imposed higher subjective workload and distress than other tasks, but physiological data suggested more complex differences between tasks. Second, vigilance decrements in detection performance were observed within 5-min task 'steps'. However, analyses of physiological metrics suggested that multiple temporal processes may operate. Third, there were consistent individual differences in task-induced workload responses. Implications of the findings for evaluating NPP interface designs and monitoring operators are discussed.

Publication Date

10-1-2016

Publication Title

Safety Science

Volume

88

Number of Pages

97-107

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.05.002

Socpus ID

84966309495 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84966309495

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