Which measure best prevents fatigue?

• A. Increase workload and skip breaks
• B. Rational organization of labour and work-rest cycles
• C. Longer shifts with no breaks
• D. Rely on personal motivation alone

Answer: (B)

Fatigue is best prevented by organizing work so employees have regular opportunities to recover and restore performance. Rational organization of labour and work-rest cycles means designing workloads, task variety, and shift patterns that align with human limits and give adequate breaks, sufficient sleep opportunity, and predictable recovery time. When breaks and properly planned rest periods are built into the schedule, workers can rebalance mental and physical demands, maintain vigilance, and reduce the buildup of sleep debt. This systemic approach tackles fatigue at its source and supports safer, more consistent performance.

Increasing workload and skipping breaks overwhelms the body's capacity, accelerating fatigue and undermining judgment and reaction speed. Longer shifts with no breaks extend exposure to fatigue-inducing factors like circadian lows and sleep debt. Relying on personal motivation alone ignores physiological limits and doesn’t provide the necessary recovery, so fatigue issues tend to persist even with high motivation.