9.4 Factors affecting Performance

Question 1

What factors effect performance?

Answer 1

Fitness
Health
Stress
Time pressure
Workload
Fatigue

Question 2

To maintain the correct manning levels and in the event of illness etc, what should an organisation have to deal with losses?

Answer 2

Man hour plan.

Question 3

What can an engineer do to maintain their health and fitness?

Answer 3

Eating regular and well balanced meals
Regular exercise
Stop smoking

Question 4

What does stress result from?

Answer 4

Imposition of any demand or set of demands which require us to react, adapt or behave in a certain way.

Question 5

What is a stressor?

Answer 5

The cause of the stress, could either be a one off stimulus or an ongoing factor.

Question 6

What two types of stress are there?

Answer 6

Acute- intense short
Chronic- frequent and long duration

Question 7

What forms can stressors be?

Answer 7

Physical
Psychological
Reactive

Question 8

What are the possible signs of stress?

Answer 8

Physiological- Sweating etc
Health issues
Behavioural
Cognitive effects
Subjective effects- anxiety

Question 9

What is domestic stress?

Answer 9

Results from major life changes at home.

Question 10

What can work related stress be increased by?

Answer 10

Lack of guidance or time pressure.

Question 11

What happens when we become aware of stress?

Answer 11

Defence or coping

Question 12

What is a defence strategy?

Answer 12

Alleviation of the symptoms through temporary fixes, i.e. alcohol.

Question 13

What is a coping strategy?

Answer 13

Dealing with the source of the stress.

Question 14

What are some good stress management techniques?

Answer 14

Relaxation
Regulation of sleep and diet
Regular exercise
Counselling

Question 15

What are the two perceptions of stress?

Answer 15

Actual and perceived.

Question 16

In terms of stress what two driving forces does an engineer have?

Answer 16

Deadlines and responsibilites.

Question 17

What is one method of managing time pressure?

Answer 17

Regulation.

Question 18

What can time pressures make a norm in an organisation?

Answer 18

Corner cutting.

Question 19

What should those responsible for setting deadlines consider?

Answer 19

Priority of work
Time available
Personnel available
Parts and spares

Question 20

What happens at low levels of arousal?

Answer 20

Attentional mechanisms will not be active and performance capability will be low.

Question 21

What happens if arousal becomes too high?

Answer 21

Task shedding and narrowing of attention.

Question 22

Workload is subjective, what is it affected by?

Answer 22

Physical demands
Mental demands

Question 23

How can workload be managed?

Answer 23

Staff have correct skills
Tools and spares readily available
Human factors training

Question 24

How can overload be relieved?

Answer 24

Simpler method
Delegate activities
Securing further time

Question 25

How much sleep does a human require?

Answer 25

8 hours in 24 hours

Question 26

What is the rule of thumb for hours of sleep for hours of work?

Answer 26

One hour sleep for two hours work

Question 27

What does the circadian rhythm control?

Answer 27

Body temp, hunger and digestion.

Question 28

Most aspects of physiology and behaviour are governed by what?

Answer 28

Central clock in the hypothalamus.

Question 29

If you have a drop in body temp what happens?

Answer 29

Drop in alertness and performance.

Question 30

Circadian rhythm for body temp is very robust, when sleep is disrupted what happens?

Answer 30

Temp cycle is unchanged.

Question 31

What two types of fatigue are there?

Answer 31

Physiological and Subjective.

Question 32

What is subjective fatigue?

Answer 32

How sleepy the person thinks they feel, easily affected by other factors.

Question 33

What does physiological fatigue reflect?

Answer 33

The replenishment and restoration the body needs.

Question 34

What is TSA?

Answer 34

Time since awakening

Question 35

What is duty time?

Answer 35

Time on task refers to the time spent carrying out work.

Question 36

What are the first signs of chronic fatigue?

Answer 36

Moodiness, headaches.

Question 37

What are the disadvantages of shift working?

Answer 37

Unsociable hours Human performance is lower in late hours

Question 38

What does alcohol do in the nervous system?

Answer 38

Alcohol acts as a depressant on the nervous system dulling the senses.

Question 39

What is a Analgesics?

Answer 39

Over the counter drugs like paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen.

Question 40

Why are anti-histamines not allowed when working?

Answer 40

They can make you feel drowsy.

Question 41

What can decongestants like psuedo-ephedrine do?

Answer 41

Give side effects like anxiety, tremor, rapid pulse and headache.

Question 42

What are pep pills?

Answer 42

Stimulant pills, they are not allowed due to the danger of overdose and side effects.