Stress Level among Indonesian Train Drivers ? A Study Utilizing Salivary ?-Amylase and Subjective Method

This research was motivated by the fact that train drivers in Indonesia seem to face stressful work conditions. These are associated with a number of factors, including tight train schedules, fairly substandard train operating conditions, the needs to continuously watch railway tracks for potential causes of derailments, poor level-crossing conditions, as well as activities done by the locals along the railway tracks. This study aimed at evaluating the levels of workload typically experienced by the train drivers. Salivary -amylase (SAA) and Subjective Workload Assessment Technique (SWAT) were employed for this purpose. A total of 36 train drivers participated in this study, and were recruited from one of the largest train operational region in Indonesia. Levels of SAA were determined prior to, during, and immediately following a train-driving task, while SWAT was administered immediately following a driving task. Results of this study indicated SAA levels that were much greater than 60kU/l for the more than 70 % of the drivers. This figure tended to decline (to roughly 56 %) at the end of the task. Data on SWAT demonstrated relatively high workload, the time dimension, in particular, was the dominant factor associated with this workload. It was concluded in this study that workload among the train drivers was excessively high. A number of potential interventions are suggested here that can help reduce the level of workload among the train drivers.