Narrative:

Facility management at ZFW ARTCC has implemented staffing requirements which are degrading safety in the NAS. There is now a mandate to front line supervisors to keep controllers on position as close to 2 hours at a stretch as possible. Additionally; there are specific goals towards limiting the number of controllers on break at any given time; and a mandate to open all sectors as soon as possible on any shift; and to staff as many; if not all; d-sides as possible. These specifics refer to the 'frisco' area at ZFW; in other areas rules such as no more than 2 controllers on break at a time are applied. These actions are greatly impacting the margin of safety in our area and facility. There are now many more people in the area at any given time and conversations and noise are up. This is primarily due to the fact that many of the people present in the area have nothing to do. People are getting tired and run down from sitting on a d-side that was staffed; on average; once a week for about 30 mins or so and now is open 7 days a week for 12 hours. We are effectively being ground down; morale is sinking rapidly; tempers are fraying; and people are just not as able to concentrate when they are pushed like this day after day after day. Sooner or later something will happen; and I have stated this to front line management at ZFW; but they don't care.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING NEW FACILITY STAFFING POLICY AND THEIR IMPACTS ON THE OP; IE; MORALE; TEMPERS; NOISE; ETC.

Narrative: FACILITY MGMNT AT ZFW ARTCC HAS IMPLEMENTED STAFFING REQUIREMENTS WHICH ARE DEGRADING SAFETY IN THE NAS. THERE IS NOW A MANDATE TO FRONT LINE SUPVRS TO KEEP CTLRS ON POS AS CLOSE TO 2 HRS AT A STRETCH AS POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY; THERE ARE SPECIFIC GOALS TOWARDS LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CTLRS ON BREAK AT ANY GIVEN TIME; AND A MANDATE TO OPEN ALL SECTORS ASAP ON ANY SHIFT; AND TO STAFF AS MANY; IF NOT ALL; D-SIDES AS POSSIBLE. THESE SPECIFICS REFER TO THE 'FRISCO' AREA AT ZFW; IN OTHER AREAS RULES SUCH AS NO MORE THAN 2 CTLRS ON BREAK AT A TIME ARE APPLIED. THESE ACTIONS ARE GREATLY IMPACTING THE MARGIN OF SAFETY IN OUR AREA AND FACILITY. THERE ARE NOW MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THE AREA AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND CONVERSATIONS AND NOISE ARE UP. THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT IN THE AREA HAVE NOTHING TO DO. PEOPLE ARE GETTING TIRED AND RUN DOWN FROM SITTING ON A D-SIDE THAT WAS STAFFED; ON AVERAGE; ONCE A WEEK FOR ABOUT 30 MINS OR SO AND NOW IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR 12 HRS. WE ARE EFFECTIVELY BEING GROUND DOWN; MORALE IS SINKING RAPIDLY; TEMPERS ARE FRAYING; AND PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT AS ABLE TO CONCENTRATE WHEN THEY ARE PUSHED LIKE THIS DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY. SOONER OR LATER SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN; AND I HAVE STATED THIS TO FRONT LINE MGMNT AT ZFW; BUT THEY DON'T CARE.

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.