U S A .... N. T. S. B. Press Release Regarding Fatigue

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington , DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2009
SB-09-09

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NTSB REITERATES ITS COMMITMENT TO RIDDING
FATIGUE IN TRANSPORTATION DURING SLEEP AWARENESS
WEEK

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Washington , DC - The National Transportation Safety Board, in
recognition of National Sleep Awareness Week, reiterates its commitment
to eliminating human fatigue in the transportation industry.

The Safety Board has long been concerned about the effect of human
fatigue in transportation and the consequences of fatigue on those who
perform critical functions in all modes of transportation. "Fatigue in
transportation presents unnecessary risks to the traveling public," said
NTSB Board Member Deborah Hersman. "Fatigue can impair a person
behind the wheel or at the helm much like alcohol or other drugs. We must
ensure that as much as possible is being done to protect our transportation
system from the insidious effect of human fatigue," Hersman said.

The Safety Board continues to advocate setting work hour limits based on
fatigue research, circadian rhythms, and sleep rest requirements that will
reduce unnecessary risk to the traveling public.

Last year, the NTSB recommended that the FAA develop guidance, based
on empirical and scientific evidence, for operators to establish fatigue
management systems, including information about the content and
implementation of these systems. Furthermore, the Board also made a
recommendation to develop and use a methodology that will continually
assess the effectiveness of fatigue management systems implemented by
operators, including their ability to improve sleep and alertness, mitigate
performance errors, and prevent incidents and accidents.

Since 1972, the NTSB has issued over 100 fatigue related
recommendations in all modes of transportation. Human fatigue and
hours-of-service are issues that have been on the NTSB's Most Wanted
List of safety improvements the Board believes will have the greatest
impact on transportation safety. However, the Board voted to remove
fatigue in the railroad industry from the Most Wanted List last year after
the passage of the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which
addressed railroad hours-of-service limits and established fatigue
management requirements. Human Fatigue in the aviation, marine, and
pipeline industries remain on the Federal Most Wanted List.
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NTSB Media Contact: Terry N. Williams
[email protected]
[phone]