Cheap & easy way to handle the sleepy traffic controllers

[SoCalDem]

When workers leave their shifts & are not replaced by another worker (leaving 1 controller in charge), they need a device that precedes plane-to-tower communication, with an air-horn blast that would wake up any dozing worker:) like a "ding" in an elevator that warns blind that they have arrived at their floor, this could cheaply be installed..and would only be activated when the workforce is minimal & traffic light enough to induce drowsiness..


sample
http://www.hark.com/clips/vxlrdygsyd-air-horn-football-stadium

[Vincardog]

1. Or they could have at least two controllers on duty at all times.

[SoCalDem]

3. That is optimal, but even with two on duty

if there is nothing going on, two can fall asleep topo...

sample:

http://www.hark.com/clips/vxlrdygsyd-air-horn-football-stadium

and then the communication from the plane probably would do it:)

[Hawkowl]

14. Or not make them work 16 hour shifts

Or allow them to have frequent breaks. Or just restore the rules and pay rates prior to shrub.

[Brickbat]

17. This.

If the concern is people working tired, give them a schedule that doesn't make them work tired.

[JVS]

2. Why not just have an airhorn blowing at all times?

[hayu_lol]

8. At the airports where sleeping has been causing problems...

the traffic on those shifts is really almost non-existant. Why not send the tower ops home around midnight and switch to regional control for the very few flights anticipated...or just shut the airport down between(choose hours)manned tower ops.

What do these single controllers do for lunch and other breaks? Graveyard shift can be a bummer if nothing is happening.

[SoCalDem]

12. or close the airport & reschedule planes so they land before closing

[FSogol]

4. How about just rejecting the Republican Vision of cheap no-tax America and just have enough

people to do the job properly? :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

6. Optimal staffing is always preferred, but sometimes planes need to land in areas where

republicans have stripped the bones..

sometimes you have to act now and plan for later..unless you want to clean up plane crashes in the meantime..

No one has crashed yet, but I'd rather see an interim "fix" until staffing gets addressed..

[Brickbat]

5. Don't laugh. Locomotive engineers have to deal with this. It's called an "alerter." When an engineer

is driving a locomotive, there is a high-wattage utility light and a rapidly escalating klaxon that goes off in front of the engineer's face at random intervals every 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The engineer has a short time to hit a button to turn it off. If he doesn't, the locomotive automatically shoots the brakes and the train stops until the air brakes are pumped up again.

This alerter is on whether an engine is shoving stuff around in the yard or on a long-distance pull, whether it's an easy 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift or an extra 2 a.m. dogcatch, whether the engineer is looking over his shoulder trying to spot the conductor in the blizzard or eating his lunch while the train moves through an automatic dumper at .5 mph.

It's demeaning, distracting and very, very loud.

[SoCalDem]

7. I have heard about that device.. and yes I'm sure it's annoying Safety

can be annoying, but there's obviously a reason why these things get installed.. An annoyed rail employee vs train crash?..I know which I'd prefer..

[Brickbat]

10. You tell me which is safer:

An engineer focused on doing his job, or an engineer focused on when the alerter is going to go off again and trying to figure out how he can take his eyes off his conductor for five seconds while the train is moving so he can hit the alerter so the train doesn't shoot and throw the conductor off?

An engineer focused on watching the tracks in the dark, or an engineer trying to regain his night vision every 30 seconds after the alerter goes off in his face?

An engineer who hears an "all trains stop" bulletin loud and clear on the radio, or an engineer who misses the first call because the alerter is hollering at him?

This kind of crap isn't safe. It's insulting and it's a distraction.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Yep.

When we were kids it was part of my father's tour of the yard. Everybody hated it.

[Brickbat]

11. It makes me sick that people think it's OK to do that to someone while they're working.

If it's so safe, maybe EVERYONE should have one! IN THEIR CARS!

[mysuzuki2]

13. How about just opening a Starbucks

in every tower. I swear it's the only place they don;t have them anyway. Then they could get enough caffein to stay awake.

[MindPilot]

15. what if they don't fall asleep?

What if that single controller has a heart attack or even just a diarrhea attack?

Even when the guy has to slip out to go the bathroom, that means there is no one there.

There are a lot of jobs I look at--like the young woman late night at the gas station--and think "that person should not be working alone."

[snooper2]

16. I thought you were going to say tasers the pilots could activate

[madinmaryland]

19. Now if we all had tasers, noone would be getting tasered. Hmmm, wonder

if I could take a taser into church with me for protection. Taser don't kill... Uhh, wait a second, wrong thread/forum!

Nevermind.

[bobbolink]

18. OR..... we could value workers and human life enough to pay air controllers what they USED to be

paid, for the reasonable hours they used to work.

I know.. that is just too rational to be considered.

Much better to blame the workers for what Raygun did.