Narrative:

WX buildups and severe thunderstorms are becoming quite common (ie, every week severe WX) for ZFW. The normal or desired number of controllers on duty (on the wichita falls area) is at least 12 fpl's. For the past several weeks the actual number of fpl controllers averages 8-9 on duty. On the evening of jul/xx/92 this was the case: 8 fpl controllers. The supervisors on duty were aware not only of the building thunderstorms but also of the extremely low staffing. Overtime was not called and the entire shift was worked with only 8 fpl radar controllers. Because of severe buildups and movement of the thunderstorms most of the sectors needed manning not only of radar and manual controllers position, but the radar handoff position as well. As I have already noted, the staffing was not such to provide manning of most of these position. Aircraft were deviating and many dangerous and, in my opinion unsafe conditions were observed. Most radar controllers worked heavy, complex traffic without a break or relief from position for close to 3 hours. If this had been a single and isolated incident (ie, understaffing) I feel that it would not warrant this report. However, this is a common practice and it is literally wearing down and wearing out the workforce. If this practice continues I see an increase in controller error and judgement leading to an increase in operrors, operational deviations or worse (midairs, near miss, etc). Upon questioning the supervisors about having not called overtime these last few weeks, I was told the area manager doesn't like for us to call overtime. We don't have the money (ie, budget) for overtime. As an overworked controller, I honestly can't understand compromising safety for a few dollars.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS ABOUT WORKING DURING TSTM CONDITIONS UNDERSTAFFED. NO OVERTIME USED.

Narrative: WX BUILDUPS AND SEVERE TSTMS ARE BECOMING QUITE COMMON (IE, EVERY WK SEVERE WX) FOR ZFW. THE NORMAL OR DESIRED NUMBER OF CTLRS ON DUTY (ON THE WICHITA FALLS AREA) IS AT LEAST 12 FPL'S. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WKS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF FPL CTLRS AVERAGES 8-9 ON DUTY. ON THE EVENING OF JUL/XX/92 THIS WAS THE CASE: 8 FPL CTLRS. THE SUPVRS ON DUTY WERE AWARE NOT ONLY OF THE BUILDING TSTMS BUT ALSO OF THE EXTREMELY LOW STAFFING. OVERTIME WAS NOT CALLED AND THE ENTIRE SHIFT WAS WORKED WITH ONLY 8 FPL RADAR CTLRS. BECAUSE OF SEVERE BUILDUPS AND MOVEMENT OF THE TSTMS MOST OF THE SECTORS NEEDED MANNING NOT ONLY OF RADAR AND MANUAL CTLRS POS, BUT THE RADAR HDOF POS AS WELL. AS I HAVE ALREADY NOTED, THE STAFFING WAS NOT SUCH TO PROVIDE MANNING OF MOST OF THESE POS. ACFT WERE DEVIATING AND MANY DANGEROUS AND, IN MY OPINION UNSAFE CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED. MOST RADAR CTLRS WORKED HVY, COMPLEX TFC WITHOUT A BREAK OR RELIEF FROM POS FOR CLOSE TO 3 HRS. IF THIS HAD BEEN A SINGLE AND ISOLATED INCIDENT (IE, UNDERSTAFFING) I FEEL THAT IT WOULD NOT WARRANT THIS RPT. HOWEVER, THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE AND IT IS LITERALLY WEARING DOWN AND WEARING OUT THE WORKFORCE. IF THIS PRACTICE CONTINUES I SEE AN INCREASE IN CTLR ERROR AND JUDGEMENT LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN OPERRORS, OPERATIONAL DEVS OR WORSE (MIDAIRS, NEAR MISS, ETC). UPON QUESTIONING THE SUPVRS ABOUT HAVING NOT CALLED OVERTIME THESE LAST FEW WKS, I WAS TOLD THE AREA MGR DOESN'T LIKE FOR US TO CALL OVERTIME. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY (IE, BUDGET) FOR OVERTIME. AS AN OVERWORKED CTLR, I HONESTLY CAN'T UNDERSTAND COMPROMISING SAFETY FOR A FEW DOLLARS.

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.