Effects of noise on overhead crane operators' performances under mental fatigue, in a virtual reality crane simulator

In the industrial sector several hazards (i.e. load falls and collisions, tipping) are associated with activities related to the use of cranes, and with fatalities or with serious consequences for crane operators and other workers in heavy load handling area. Studies analysing the causes behind these dramatic events have shown that most of accidents involving cranes are due to human errors. Accidents can be compounded by concurrent psychological and environmental factors. For this reason, it is crucial to investigate the potential changes in the performance of crane operators during handling under the most realistic possible conditions, such as noise and mental fatigue. In cognitive domain, mental fatigue refers to psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. To this aim, a virtual reality overhead crane simulator of an industrial building has been created in order to test operators’ performances under different noise and executive-attentional overload conditions.