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| Figure 1 Night Shift (Safari Signs, 2016) |
I have been hired as a human factors consultant for an MQ-1B
Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAS squadron of the United States Air
Force (USAF). This squadron conducts missions 24/7, 365 days a year providing
armed, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) to ground forces in
a conflict zone. In order to accomplish this mission, the UAS crews have been
separated into 4 teams and put onto a continuous shift work schedule of 6 days
on, 2 days off. The Squadron Commander is concerned because the UAS crews have
been reporting extreme fatigue while conducting operations and complained of
inadequate sleep due to their current shift schedule. It is my job to analyze
the current shift
rotation, Figure 2, and
the number of days on and off per week, and, based upon your research, design
the schedule that you think will allow the squadron to optimize operations,
while improving the fatigue issues that the crews are reporting.
Figure 2.
Current Schedule
Circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock that
regulates our body functions, based on our wake/sleep cycle. When deprived of time cues most people gravitate
towards a 25-hour circadian cycle. Any time this is disrupted, such as shift work,
it can have physiological and behavioral impacts, known as circadian rhythm
disruption (Circadian Rhythm, n.d.). The
circadian rhythm is reset by exposure to bright light, especially sunlight.
When a night shift worker is driving home in daylight the bright morning sun
resets the internal clock, making it difficult for the person to simply go home
and go to sleep. The disparity between biological days, 25-hour, and solar
days, 24-hours, drives the recommendation that rotating shifts move towards a
longer day. Shift rotations should be moved to later shifts, instead of earlier
shifts (FAA Shift Work, n.d.).
I propose a 2-2-2 plan for improving the shift work. This would be an 8-day cycle for the 4 crews
working 8.5 hour days, Figure 3. The first 30 minutes of each shift overlaps
with the previous shift to ensure adequate time for shift turnover procedures.
The proposed change would be 2 day shifts, 2 swing shifts, 2 night shifts and then
2 days off (Miller, 2012). This schedule follows the concept of moving shift
rotations forward, allowing for our natural 25-hour circadian cycle. This rotation keeps the circadian rhythm in a
daytime orientation, it is not in a state of constant disruption. Many
consecutive night shifts may cause chronic sleep deprivation. It also provides
more free evenings per week to the operators, allowing more regular contact
with friends and family (Managing 24/7, n.d.).
Figure 3. Proposed
Schedule
The Squadron Commander also needs to implement training
on fatigue, fatigue management, stress, stress management and sleep hygiene.
Educated operators are more likely able to effectively cope with a changing
schedule if they are aware of coping mechanisms. Keeping the work lighting
bright will help circadian rhythms be in sync with working hours, so that night
employees are not working in darker rooms and keeping their bodies on a solar
circadian rhythm. Having fridges
available for the operators to bring food from home, possibly with a small
kitchenette. This would allow for healthier food to be an option, instead of
relying on food from vending machines. Also
allowing or encouraging discussions with flight physicians if people are having
issues sleeping, to potentially prescribe and monitor sleep aids as needed
(Miller, 2012).
References
Federal Aviation Administration. (n.d.). Circadian
Rhythm Disruption and Flying [Brochure]. Retrieved February 10, 2018,
from
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/Circadian_Rhythm.pdf
FAA Shift Work and Scheduling. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 10, 2018, from
https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/maintenance_hf/library/documents/media/human_factors_maintenance/human_factors_guide_for_aviation_maintenance_-_chapter_4.shiftwork_and_scheduling.pdf
Managing 24/7. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2018,
from
http://www.circadian.com/solutions-services/publications-a-reports/newsletters/managing-247-enewsletter/managing-247-speed-of-rotation-from-day-shift-to-night-shift.html
Miller, J. C. (2012, April). White Paper: Shift Plans
with Seven Consecutive Shifts. Retrieved February 10, 2018, from
https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/crm/docs/shift_plans_with_seven.pdf
Safari Signs. (2016, May 26). Retrieved February 10,
2018, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/504825439462650568/
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