1 in 4 Pilots Sleepy on the Job

[MindMover]

March 3, 2012 -- Feeling sleepy at work may be a minor inconvenience for most people. But a new poll suggests it’s a major issue for transportation workers whose job it is to get people from place to place safely.

Researchers sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation found that one in four pilots and train operators say they suffer from sleepiness that affects their job performance at least once a week.

That sleepiness on the job has caused a serious safety error for one in five pilots and a “near miss” for one in six train operators and truck drivers.

“The margin of error in these professions is extremely small," David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation, says in a news release. “Transportation professionals need to manage sleep to perform at their best.”

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20120303/1-in-4-pilots-sleepy-on-the-job?src=RSS_PUBLIC

I think I am gonna ask my pilot next time whether he got a good nights sleep.....just to be on the safe side...

[mdmc]

1. just look for the union label

[Brickbat]

3. Even the union positions deal with extra boards and on-call schedules.

[mdmc]

5. the stronger the union, the more sleep pilots get..

thanks for the reply

[Brickbat]

6. Can't speak about pilots, but it doesn't get much stronger than the Teamsters, and some of their

sleep schedules are fucked up, esp. since companies eliminated cabooses, brakemen and firemen's rights.

[mdmc]

8. point taken my friend

[Brickbat]

2. The amount of sleep depravation that goes on in train transportation and aviation is harrowing.

If safety is such a big deal to the companies, they need to pay attention to sleep schedules better, for one thing.

[Initech]

4. If you had to work the odd hours they do with no breaks you'd be sleepy too.

[Withywindle]

7. Maintenance people, too.

Think about how much more likely you are to make small mistakes when you're exhausted and stressed. Then realize there aren't really that many professions where one small mistake can kill 200 people - but there are SOME.

[Angleae]

9. Tell me about it.

I've been working mandatory overtime since July (mainly on Southwest aircraft).

[mdmc]

10. ..