ATCO Training on Fatigue awareness and countermeasure proposal
That fatigue is a serious risk to safety, is something quite well known. However so far we have limited ourselves to simply state this and get our ATCOs and Student ATCOs to recognise fatigue and to know about its possible effects.
Now, following an incident investigation the FAA [as reported by Mary Kirby in Controller fatigue, training are focus of NTSB safety recommendations (10Apr07 22:28 GMT) Philadelphia ] are recommending to:
“Develop fatigue awareness and countermeasures training program for controllers and for personnel who are involved in the scheduling of controllers for operational duty that will address the incidence of fatigue in the controller workforce, causes of fatigue, effects of fatigue on controller performance and safety, and the importance of using personal strategies to minimize fatigue. This training should be provided in a format that promotes retention, and recurrent training should be provided at regular intervals. ”
I cannot but support this recommendation.Â
Firstly, it is not enough to talk about it.Â
What is important is to provide practical ideas, tips and strategies to prevent fatigue from setting in and then to minimise its effects. This training should go into providing ideas of how ATCOs, and other shift workers, should manage their time at and outside work, especially between duties.
Secondly, it is not enough to address the ATCOs
Most of the time operational staff are aware of the problems, but their schedulers are not necessarily appreciative. It is hard to promote a healthy lifestyle with enough quality rest, and then schedule staff to work to the max at reduced [or just on the limit] intervals.
Also, personnel management needs to be sensibilised and responsibilised on this problem by receiving adequate awareness and training, as informed schedulers can still very easily flex to pressure from above!
Thirdly, the report adds that the method of delivery needs to promote retention and refresher training should be given at regular intervals.
It is not enough to tell a student at the beginning of their career, when they do not know well what it means to work in shift and to ‘wear out’. Also resting needs change as the person grows older. So training needs to contain theory and practice and also needs to adapt to the demographics – young, middle age, older, single, married, with young children, etc. Each category having its own pressures and needs.
Does this topic interest you? How about developing the objectives and the method of delivery of this training together?
