Okc TRACON controller expressed concern regarding the facility staffing policy.

Attributes
ACN	737260
Time
Date	200705
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : okc.tracon
State Reference	OK
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19 controller time certified in position1 : 11 controller time certified in position2 : 5
ASRS Report	737260
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : okc.tracon staffing : okc.tracon

Narrative:

Being required to work position on shift from XA45 pm to XAI00 am without any breaks away from position to get relaxed/refreshed. Shift at okc are painfully slow (excepting certain situations -- ie; WX; unusual events; etc). Staring at a mostly blank radar scope all night long without any break is physically and mentally demanding (if not impossible to do safely). In my opinion; this is the most unsafe operation I've seen/been involved in; in my 20 yrs as controller. Very unsafe due to being 'brain dead' from constant attentiveness without breaks all night long.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OKC TRACON CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAC STAFFING POLICY.

Narrative: BEING REQUIRED TO WORK POS ON SHIFT FROM XA45 PM TO XAI00 AM WITHOUT ANY BREAKS AWAY FROM POS TO GET RELAXED/REFRESHED. SHIFT AT OKC ARE PAINFULLY SLOW (EXCEPTING CERTAIN SITUATIONS -- IE; WX; UNUSUAL EVENTS; ETC). STARING AT A MOSTLY BLANK RADAR SCOPE ALL NIGHT LONG WITHOUT ANY BREAK IS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DEMANDING (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO SAFELY). IN MY OPINION; THIS IS THE MOST UNSAFE OP I'VE SEEN/BEEN INVOLVED IN; IN MY 20 YRS AS CTLR. VERY UNSAFE DUE TO BEING 'BRAIN DEAD' FROM CONSTANT ATTENTIVENESS WITHOUT BREAKS ALL NIGHT LONG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.