Harvester Productivity and Operator Fatigue: Working Extended Hours

Falling financial margins have prompted many owners of Australian harvesting businesses to extend normal working hours. After brief trial periods, most companies have again reverted to short-term and ad hoc solutions to meet peaks in demand. The harvesting industry is also being persuaded to operate extended hours under the guise of service-delivery and the ‘24-hour society’, in response to customer demand. A poor understanding of human factors poses a threat to profitable harvesting, and contributes to low productivity on extended hours work regimes. Decreased operator productivity was observed in both shifts of a shiftwork operation. Experience in other industries have noted reduced operator alertness led to increases in the risk and severity of accidents and machine damage. Successful implementation of extended hours work regimes relies on addressing operational needs as well as recognising the human needs, managing productivity, safety, communications and maintenance.