FAA Controllers Working Exhausting Schedules
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/faa-controllers-working-rattler-schedules-24122247
From the article:
The FAA has a “fatigue risk management program” for controllers aimed at detecting practices that increase tiredness, but budget cuts “have eliminated the program’s capability to monitor fatigue concerns proactively and to investigate whether initiatives to reduce fatigue risks are providing the intended benefits,” the report said.
Basner said the FAA was making no effort to determine whether there is a correlation between work schedules and controllers errors. For example, there were near collisions between airliners near Honolulu and Houston recently. Such incidents are often the result of controller errors.
The FAA and the controllers union have established a program that encourages controllers to report errors by promising they won’t be penalized for honest mistakes. The reports are entered into a database that the agency is supposed to use to spot trends or problem areas. But controllers are sometimes too busy to file reports, and the report forms don’t seek information on the controller’s schedule or other details that might be used to determine whether schedules are contributing to errors, Basner said.
Floaters that work 12-14 hr days… drive 1-2 hrs each way.. FATIGUE … ERRORS ?? When air controllers makes a mistake.. it could affect the lives of hundreds.. we just affect one life – one mistake at a time.. but.. the numbers and the tomb stones are adding up !
Filed under: General Problems
Or just go to an independent pharmacy. Skip the chains!
This falls in line with commercial drivers. This is in the spotlight from the recent accident which has Tracy Morgan in critical condition. Their industry has meticulous regulation of consecutive hours worked and large penalties for not adhering. I would ask the boards of pharmacy who claim they arent able to interfere with private business why these workers can lose their license for working over 8 consecutive hours and they have no interest in the same safety standards.
I was thinking of that too..my oldest son recently graduated from college and is now working for a major trucking firm as an outbound dispatcher. He told me how strict his company is on driver hours and when their legal drive time is up they must pull off at truck stop or hotel and take required rest time. Its all monitored by computer and GPS. But unlike commercial trucking who im not sure does all their oversight, our state boards and NABP are saturated with the very people who need to have oversight but will never allow it.or admit there is a problem