Shift Work, Age, and Performance: Investigation of the 2-2-1 Shift Schedule Used in Air Traffic Control Facilities. 1. The Sleep/Wake Cycle.
Abstract
Because Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations require 24-hour per day staffing, Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCS), in many cases, are faced with shift work throughout their careers. ATCSs in the United States work a relatively unique rapidly rotating shift schedule, the "2-2-1" (Price & Holley, 1990), as well as a variety of schedule modifications based upon a backward or counterclockwise rotation of shifts. Problems associated with shift work in other populations could be expected to be found in the ATCS population. These include issues related to health, family, life styles, sleep patterns, performance on the night shift, and stress (Moore-Ede, Czeisler, & Richardson, 1983; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment OTA, 1991). The sources of stress include sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm disruption, and disruption of social interactions (Scott & LaDou, 1990). Each of these factors has implications for job performance. Because of the safety-related nature of the ATCS's job, assessing and understanding the factors that potentially affect job performance, and the manner in which they interact and change with age, is critical. The 2-2-1 schedule was the focus of this research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA296578
Entities
People
- Pamela S. Della Rocco
Organizations
- Federal Aviation Administration