Policymaking, sleep, and jobs - this probably isn't what you think

ZeldaGirl · 04-16-2011, 05:42 PM

I didn't know what to title this thread, so hear me out before you leave!

Another air controller naps; new schedules coming - Yahoo! News

Having studied sleep psychology, this is something that's always made me wonder. It's a fact that working when tired severely hampers your performance. Driving while being sleepy has been shown to be on par with driving while under the influence of alcohol. Yet, many of our most demanding jobs in America (doctors, nurses, air controllers...) require individuals to perform very long, overnight shifts. This seems to be outright reckless, not to mention it can really impair an individual's health.

I understand that there are practical reasons why you would have an individual work long shifts (nurses and doctors are able to stay with certain patients, and that can cut down on mistakes when you are familiar with a caseload as opposed to not). But what should be done about this? Is it ethical for individuals who are workers, as well as those of us who benefit from these workers services, to continue to maintain this status quo? Should we try a different approach? What does that look like?

Just some food for thought.

***CaptHayfever*** · 04-16-2011, 10:23 PM

Air control towers and hospitals have in common that they're responsible for keeping people alive. What they don't have in common, though, is that need for consistency. Any air traffic controller should be able to plot a landing sequence; it's not like the nursing example where familiarity with a patient helps get better care faster. As such, the airports don't have the same excuse hospitals do for overworking their controllers.

Considering the unbelievable danger of an air controller sleeping on the job & the necessity of having controllers at work 24/7, why not give the night staff shorter shifts & hire more of them? I know cost is a concern, but what's that one extra salary (which can be LOWER than the day salary since it's ultimately fewer hours worked!) compared to all the people who will choose not to fly when they hear about controllers falling asleep at the console?

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

**Crazyswordsman** · 04-17-2011, 01:09 PM

Being that I fly in and out of Newark, which is probably the worst airport in the country for air traffic control (my planes back from college were ALWAYS delayed, REGARDLESS of the weather), I can definitely see the need to make sure air traffic controllers are in tip top shape. How to solve this? I have no idea. Give them shorter shifts? Make the work environment healthy? Provide a substitute? It has to be done as cheaply as possible but they need to make sure the air traffic controllers are well taken care of.

And there are times when I have to work night shifts, such as when I have to do certain surveys, like a truck survey at a toll booth at the Lincoln Tunnel or a taxi study at JFK Airport, etc, so it does affect me personally, too. -CSM

04-16-2011, 05:42 PM	#1
ZeldaGirl Awesome member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Why do YOU want to know...? Gender: Posts: 15,896 Thanks: 1,130 Thanked 1,919 Times in 1,046 Posts	Policymaking, sleep, and jobs - this probably isn't what you think I didn't know what to title this thread, so hear me out before you leave! Another air controller naps; new schedules coming - Yahoo! News Having studied sleep psychology, this is something that's always made me wonder. It's a fact that working when tired severely hampers your performance. Driving while being sleepy has been shown to be on par with driving while under the influence of alcohol. Yet, many of our most demanding jobs in America (doctors, nurses, air controllers...) require individuals to perform very long, overnight shifts. This seems to be outright reckless, not to mention it can really impair an individual's health. I understand that there are practical reasons why you would have an individual work long shifts (nurses and doctors are able to stay with certain patients, and that can cut down on mistakes when you are familiar with a caseload as opposed to not). But what should be done about this? Is it ethical for individuals who are workers, as well as those of us who benefit from these workers services, to continue to maintain this status quo? Should we try a different approach? What does that look like? Just some food for thought.

04-16-2011, 10:23 PM	#2
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,661 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	Air control towers and hospitals have in common that they're responsible for keeping people alive. What they don't have in common, though, is that need for consistency. Any air traffic controller should be able to plot a landing sequence; it's not like the nursing example where familiarity with a patient helps get better care faster. As such, the airports don't have the same excuse hospitals do for overworking their controllers. Considering the unbelievable danger of an air controller sleeping on the job & the necessity of having controllers at work 24/7, why not give the night staff shorter shifts & hire more of them? I know cost is a concern, but what's that one extra salary (which can be LOWER than the day salary since it's ultimately fewer hours worked!) compared to all the people who will choose not to fly when they hear about controllers falling asleep at the console? And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

04-17-2011, 01:09 PM	#3
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	Being that I fly in and out of Newark, which is probably the worst airport in the country for air traffic control (my planes back from college were ALWAYS delayed, REGARDLESS of the weather), I can definitely see the need to make sure air traffic controllers are in tip top shape. How to solve this? I have no idea. Give them shorter shifts? Make the work environment healthy? Provide a substitute? It has to be done as cheaply as possible but they need to make sure the air traffic controllers are well taken care of. And there are times when I have to work night shifts, such as when I have to do certain surveys, like a truck survey at a toll booth at the Lincoln Tunnel or a taxi study at JFK Airport, etc, so it does affect me personally, too. -CSM