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ZOB controller voiced concern regarding lack of staffing on night shift resulting in lack of restroom breaks and extended time on position.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 801194 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200808 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Flight Phase | cruise : holding |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 11 |
| ASRS Report | 801194 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
Inadequate staffing on the XA30 to XI30 shift. There were only 2 controllers assigned to this shift whereas the minimum is 3. Due to WX impacting the ord airport; aircraft were holding until XC00 hours. Several controllers were held over on overtime until they reached their limit of a 10 hour work day. I was forced to remain on position for 3 hours 30 mins without a rest period. This created a potentially unsafe condition due to the fact I was in need of a restroom break and had to remain plugged into the sector for 3 hours 30 mins without relief. The fact that only 2 controllers were assigned to the shift was known for over 30 days prior to the start of the shift. Planning for possible WX; holding; equipment problems should factor into the required staffing and not the current policy of hoping that everything will run perfectly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZOB CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF STAFFING ON NIGHT SHIFT RESULTING IN LACK OF RESTROOM BREAKS AND EXTENDED TIME ON POSITION.
Narrative: INADEQUATE STAFFING ON THE XA30 TO XI30 SHIFT. THERE WERE ONLY 2 CTLRS ASSIGNED TO THIS SHIFT WHEREAS THE MINIMUM IS 3. DUE TO WX IMPACTING THE ORD ARPT; ACFT WERE HOLDING UNTIL XC00 HRS. SEVERAL CTLRS WERE HELD OVER ON OVERTIME UNTIL THEY REACHED THEIR LIMIT OF A 10 HR WORK DAY. I WAS FORCED TO REMAIN ON POS FOR 3 HRS 30 MINS WITHOUT A REST PERIOD. THIS CREATED A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITION DUE TO THE FACT I WAS IN NEED OF A RESTROOM BREAK AND HAD TO REMAIN PLUGGED INTO THE SECTOR FOR 3 HRS 30 MINS WITHOUT RELIEF. THE FACT THAT ONLY 2 CTLRS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE SHIFT WAS KNOWN FOR OVER 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SHIFT. PLANNING FOR POSSIBLE WX; HOLDING; EQUIP PROBS SHOULD FACTOR INTO THE REQUIRED STAFFING AND NOT THE CURRENT POLICY OF HOPING THAT EVERYTHING WILL RUN PERFECTLY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.