Controller took sice leave which caused inadequate controller staffing in tower for a 2 hour period.

Attributes
ACN	146312
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atw
State Reference	WI
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data controller : ground controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	146312
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I am an fpl at a level I VFR control tower. On this day, I was scheduled to work the opening shift beginning at 6 am local. I was required to work ground control, local control, clearance delivery and flight data combined until the relief person's arrival at 8 am local. On this day, the 8 am person was granted sick leave and I worked alone until 10 am. I feel this situation is dangerous in that I had to suspend operations momentarily twice to relieve myself for urination. Normally, I would have been required to 'hold it' until 8 am (2 hours). Even then I feel safety is compromised. Resolution: FAA needs to reevaluate staffing levels here in order to accommodate a minimum of 2 fpls for the closing and opening watches, something we at atw have not been able to do for at least the 6 yrs I've worked here!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR TOOK SICE LEAVE WHICH CAUSED INADEQUATE CTLR STAFFING IN TWR FOR A 2 HOUR PERIOD.

Narrative: I AM AN FPL AT A LEVEL I VFR CTL TWR. ON THIS DAY, I WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK THE OPENING SHIFT BEGINNING AT 6 AM LCL. I WAS REQUIRED TO WORK GND CTL, LCL CTL, CLRNC DELIVERY AND FLT DATA COMBINED UNTIL THE RELIEF PERSON'S ARRIVAL AT 8 AM LCL. ON THIS DAY, THE 8 AM PERSON WAS GRANTED SICK LEAVE AND I WORKED ALONE UNTIL 10 AM. I FEEL THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS IN THAT I HAD TO SUSPEND OPS MOMENTARILY TWICE TO RELIEVE MYSELF FOR URINATION. NORMALLY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO 'HOLD IT' UNTIL 8 AM (2 HRS). EVEN THEN I FEEL SAFETY IS COMPROMISED. RESOLUTION: FAA NEEDS TO REEVALUATE STAFFING LEVELS HERE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE A MINIMUM OF 2 FPLS FOR THE CLOSING AND OPENING WATCHES, SOMETHING WE AT ATW HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR AT LEAST THE 6 YRS I'VE WORKED HERE!

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.