[Possible methods of evaluating the work capacity of ship operators]

By identifying correlation between physiological changes that develop in work and professional errors of ship operators the complex of informative parameters to be used in assaying ther performance has been determined. The complex includes: latent period of a complex sensorimotor response with a choice, critical frequence of fusion of light oscillations, heart rate, tolerance to static force, pulse arterial pressure and index of a two-minute step-test. With the aid of the complex of clinical, physiological and psychophysiological methods it has been shown that indirect indices of performance of operators in long voyages deteriorate two or three weeks earlier than its direct signs. It has been found that the operator's performance can in principle be quantified. It can be done by taking into consideration changes in the informative indices during a specific operation and contribution of each of them to the integrative evaluation of the operator's performance.