Fatigue analysis of construction workers based on electrocardiogram signals

This study investigates physiological fatigue in construction workers during manual handling tasks using electrocardiogram (ECG) signals and the Borg CR10 scale. Twelve male workers performed repetitive lifting until exhaustion, with ECG data and subjective fatigue scores collected across low, moderate and severe fatigue levels. Results show that as fatigue increases, heart rate variability indicators (standard deviation of RR intervals [SDNN], root mean square of successive differences between adjacent RR intervals [RMSSD]) decrease, while low-frequency power (LF) and heart rate increase significantly. Statistical analysis identifies SDNN, RMSSD, LF and heart rate as four key biomarkers strongly discriminating fatigue levels. These findings reveal dynamic ECG patterns associated with fatigue and provide a theoretical foundation for establishing physiological thresholds and developing wearable monitoring systems for intelligent occupational health management in construction.