Okc tower and TRACON controller expressed concern regarding management's mid-shift staffing policy.

Attributes
ACN	730478
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : okc.airport
State Reference	OK
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	730478
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.tower staffing : okc.tower

Narrative:

Being required to work position on mid-shifts without any breaks away from position to get relaxed/refreshed. Mid-shifts 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 TWR AND TRACON CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING MGMNT'S MID-SHIFT STAFFING POLICY.

Narrative: BEING REQUIRED TO WORK POS ON MID-SHIFTS WITHOUT ANY BREAKS AWAY FROM POS TO GET RELAXED/REFRESHED. MID-SHIFTS 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.