<< >> NASA ASRS Report 143433, April 1990

Controller had to work radar position more than four hours out of an eight hour shift without relief break.

Attributes
ACN	143433
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psc
State Reference	WA
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psc
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	143433
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Even though the facility has the staffing a couple controllers and myself were scheduled to work 4 hours or more of our 8 hour shifts on a radar position west/O a break or assistance. The airspace consists of 6 airports, 15 instrument approachs. The airspace dimensions are 500 square feet up to 8000'. Monitoring the position for these extended periods of time and the lack of relieving physiological needs create excess fatigue and lack of concentration. I feel this could be a pontential safety hazard!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR HAD TO WORK RADAR POSITION MORE THAN FOUR HOURS OUT OF AN EIGHT HOUR SHIFT WITHOUT RELIEF BREAK.

Narrative: EVEN THOUGH THE FAC HAS THE STAFFING A COUPLE CTLRS AND MYSELF WERE SCHEDULED TO WORK 4 HRS OR MORE OF OUR 8 HR SHIFTS ON A RADAR POS W/O A BREAK OR ASSISTANCE. THE AIRSPACE CONSISTS OF 6 ARPTS, 15 INSTRUMENT APCHS. THE AIRSPACE DIMENSIONS ARE 500 SQUARE FEET UP TO 8000'. MONITORING THE POS FOR THESE EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AND THE LACK OF RELIEVING PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS CREATE EXCESS FATIGUE AND LACK OF CONCENTRATION. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A PONTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.