Being an ATC must be exhausting

It's high stress, but the mandated changing shift schedule does not help and adds to cronic fatigue.

When I was at ARTCC, we worked a rotating 5 week schedule.
3pm-11pm
7am-3pm
3pm-11pm
7am-3pm
11pm-7am

There were towers completing a similar rotating shift all in one week.
 
BillTIZ said:
It's high stress, but the mandated changing shift schedule does not help and adds to cronic fatigue.

When I was at ARTCC, we worked a rotating 5 week schedule.
3pm-11pm
7am-3pm
3pm-11pm
7am-3pm
11pm-7am

There were towers completing a similar rotating shift all in one week.
Click to expand...

Why? That sort of rapid, repeated sleep-shifting schedule has been shown to be unhealthy. Why not just pick a shift and stick with it?
 
I never understood the idiocracy of the schedules like that. I would set up so you work each shift for a longer period of time, (a month maybe) and have at least 3 days off between any shift change. Stagger everyone a week, so you aren't stuck working with the same person all the time.
 
EdFred said:
I never understood the idiocracy of the schedules like that. I would set up so you work each shift for a longer period of time, (a month maybe) and have at least 3 days off between any shift change. Stagger everyone a week, so you aren't stuck working with the same person all the time.
Click to expand...

We were scheduled by "crew". Two crews on day, two crews on evening, one crew mids. The rotations were so that everyone gets to share the good and bad shifts. Also there was % pay added for evening and mid shifts, plus Sunday. So everyone gets an equal cut at the extra pay.

Also add that every 6th week, we rotated days off. Essentialy back up one day, from M-F, to Sun-Thur, to Sat-Weds. Remember, ATC is a 24/7 job.
 
I would bet dollars to donuts that ATC staff has fallen asleep at night thoughout their history.

The only thing that's changed is now some holier-than-thou types have turned into narcs.
 
ebacon said:
I would bet dollars to donuts that ATC staff has fallen asleep at night thoughout their history.

The only thing that's changed is now some holier-than-thou types have turned into narcs.
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All it takes is one high profile incident to make the news and suddenly it's an epidemic.
 
According to the Wall Street Journal today, "scientists, union leaders and some of the agency's own experts" are advocating nap time during extended break periods on the midnight shift. Apparently, if you get bad press for falling asleep on the job the solution is to make the practice mandatory!
 
kevin7500 said:
According to the Wall Street Journal today, "scientists, union leaders and some of the agency's own experts" are advocating nap time during extended break periods on the midnight shift. Apparently, if you get bad press for falling asleep on the job the solution is to make the practice mandatory!
Click to expand...

Jeez...why not just shut down the tower for the midnight shift? Are there really enough traffic at midnight to warrant tower operations?
 
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