Application of a portable microcomputer mental acuity battery for fitness-for-duty assessment in power plant operations

Because a need exists for assessment of fitness-for-duty in power plants, several microcomputer-based mental acuity test batteries are under development for objective assessment of human performance over repeated measures. One of these, the Automated Performance Test System (APTS), has been shown to be sensitive to various environments and treatments and could prove useful for this purpose. The authors review the rationale for the development of APTS and experience with the stability, reliability, and sensitivity of the menu of tests. The scientific and statistical justification for the use of surrogate and embedded techniques in operational settings is discussed. Specifically, the instrumentation described is sensitive to the extent of alcohol and drug-related impairment.<>