Fatigue on Oil Refinery Workers and Related Factors

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Work-related fatigue (WRF) plays a significant role in performance, work safety, and work productivity in all industries. Oil and gas are an industry with a high level of occupational safety and health risks. Research of WRF is needed to detect critical risk factors early to prevent the adverse effect of WRF. AIM: This study aims to analyze the prevalence of WRF in oil refinery workers at one of the oil refineries companies in Indonesia and analyze the factors that influence it. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 of 511 oil refinery workers. Questionnaire and WRF scales were used to assess demographic characteristics and WRF prevalence, respectively. A medical examination was applied to determine the health status of workers based on blood pressure, body temperature, and respiratory rate. The sound level meter and heat stress meter were used to measure noise and work climate. Cramer’s V correlation was applied to identify correlations between WRF and other parameters. RESULTS: WRF was found among workers in all sections of the oil refinery plant, categorized as low, medium, high, and very high. The WRF prevalence issues only appear in the hydrocracking plant section. The WRF at the section was significantly related to working period (p = 0.037, r = 0.795), respiratory rate (p = 0.026, r = 0.852), and blood pressure (diastolic, p = 0.047, r = 0.274). Besides, the WRF prevalences are related significantly to noise exposure (p = 0.000, r = 0.248) and heat stress exposure (p = 0.030, r = 0.656). CONCLUSION: Working period, respiratory rate, and blood pressure are the intrinsic characteristics that should be paid attention to, especially at the hydrocracking plant, to overcome the WRF of oil refinery workers. At the same time, noise and heat exposure is the extrinsic factor needed to be standardized by increasing the work safety standard for the workers.