A device to monitor fatigue level in order-picking

Purpose - In order-picking activities, the performance of the system can be influenced by different variables such as the order to be fulfilled, the distance to be covered or the experience of operators. Usually, this kind of activity is performed by operators rather than machines to assure flexibility. Consequently, their fatigue accumulation can decrease the performance of the overall system. The purpose of this paper is to define the kind of device to be used in an order-picking context, to obtain data which can be utilized for the evaluation of the level of fatigue and to improve the performance of the picking system. Design/methodology/approach - The paper presents a comparison between existing fatigue methods which can be applied in a picking context. In addition, an analysis of the physiological literature for the evaluation of a new device for the monitoring of fatigue level is carried on and its practical use is shown. Findings - The proposed research identifies in the heart rate monitor the device that, thanks to its advantages, can be the best one to be used in an industrial context for monitoring the physical fatigue of operators. Originality/value - This study considers the importance of human factors in picking activities such as physical fatigue of operators and the need to have validated tools to monitor and to define the level of fatigue accumulation in each activity of different rate and duration.