Impact of Fatigue on Mind-Wandering in Drilling Crews for Engineering Safety: A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment

Abstract

Fatigue among drilling crews significantly impairs their attentional capacity and physiological functioning, potentially triggering a mind-wandering (MW) state that may ultimately lead to serious accidents. However, the underlying brain network mechanisms through which fatigue influences MW remain largely unclear, representing a critical research gap that requires in-depth analysis. This study is the first lab-in-the-field experiment conducted at oil and gas drilling sites to systematically examine the brain network characteristics associated with mind-wandering under fatigue and awake conditions among drilling crews. In terms of behavior, the results showed that participants in the fatigue group exhibited significantly longer reaction times during periods of MW compared to those in the awake group, with notable correlations between the MW state and specific brain network indices. Electroencephalography (EEG) network topology analysis showed that the fatigue group demonstrated reduced global efficiency and algebraic connectivity, increased modularity, and evidence of brain network reconfiguration. At the theoretical level, this study integrates fatigue and mind-wandering into a unified framework, in which their influence is chiefly manifested through reduced global efficiency, impaired sensory gating, and a reconfiguration of brain networks, i.e., mechanisms that together elucidate how fatigue reshapes the neural basis of mind-wandering. At the practical level, the findings provide a scientific foundation for safety management in high-risk industries: work arrangements should be optimized so that workers undertake pivotal tasks at the beginning of shifts, when their information processing capacity is comparatively intact. In addition, minimizing extraneous sensory interference and refining interface design can further reduce the likelihood of mind-wandering.