Assessing the relationship between mental workload and work fatigue among oil and gas workers in PT X, Jambi Province, Indonesia: PLS-SEM analysis.

Abstract

Occupational fatigue among oil and gas workers can have perilous consequences related to safety, health, economy, and wellbeing. This makes it necessary to discover major factors related to fatigue and implement appropriate prevention programs and education. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental workload, sleep quality, and occupational fatigue in oil and gas office workers in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Mental workload, sleep quality, and occupational fatigue were measured using the NASA-TLX, PSQI, and the Indonesian Questionnaire Measuring Feelings of Work Fatigue (KAUPK2), respectively. A PLS-SEM approach was used to determine the association between mental workload, sleep quality, and occupational fatigue. Out of the 116 oil and gas workers in Jambi Province who participated in this study, 58.6% were male, 54.3% had Senior High School or less, 85.3% were not smoking, and 88.8% were married, working experience from 0.17 to 34 years. The mean of body height, weight, and mass index were 165.35 cm, 64.65 kg, and 23.64 respectively. The PLS-SEM model illustrated that the direct effect of mental workload on occupational fatigue was not significant. Meanwhile, the mental workload had a significant effect on sleep quality, which significantly affected fatigue. This indicated that the effect of workload on fatigue was fully mediated by sleep quality. The impact of good sleep on an employee's ability to recover from increased mental workload was substantial. According to this study, introducing mental workload coping methods, routine measurement, and sleep hygiene programs among oil and gas workers can reduce occupational fatigue.