FAA, Controllers Announce Agreement on Fatigue

To increase safety for commercial air travelers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the nation’s air traffic controllers have reached a formal agreement on how to combat fatigue that includes rules minimum hours off-duty between shifts and identifying employee sleep disorders. The agreement was prompted by several recent incidents of on-duty sleeping by controllers stationed at airport control towers, usually working solo. None of the incidents resulted in a tragedy, but did raise public concerns of safety. The controllers’ work environment closely mirrors those of public safety dispatchers, including late-night work. The agreement be the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) states that controllers should have break periods to recuperate from the workload, should have at least nine hours off-duty between shifts, and the FAA will work to develop procedures for employees self-identifying sleep apnea disorders. The agreement also puts a burden on controllers to be aware of any medical conditions that could affect their night work, and to be physically and mentally rested. Download (pdf) the two groups’ agreement here.