NATS Rostering Question
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NATS Rostering Question
When not digging peat and fishing the fresh air out of my brain in the far north I have gainful employment amongst those who direct the railway in large boxes.
There has recently been an RAIB report issued after a derailment at East Somerset Junction, Witham. The report highlighted as a factor working time and fatigue (the 'box involved did have a peculiar roster pattern) and recommended that the roster pattern(s) which ATC's undertake. Sadly it left small details out such as rostering dependant on traffic, meal relief (whats that?!!!), the base rostered hours - ours are 35hrs but sunday turns (12hrs) are basically "rostered overtime" etc etc.
So - is there a universal roster which covers every ATC position in the country - or is there a negotiated "base" which is then left up to local agreements etc.
Is that roster dependant on the level of traffic?
What in the way of meal breaks do you guys n gurls get?
Is the break a set period away from the workplace - i.e. disappear outside and have a fag for 20mins (difficult at Heathrow I would reckon)
What are the base hours...
Any answers to the above or a push toward a specific thread/ website would of course be appreciated and I am sure this will be moved if in the wrong "bit".
n.b If there is one job I wouldn't do it would be yours. We work in two dimensions and have electrical current to stop things if it all goes awry..
There has recently been an RAIB report issued after a derailment at East Somerset Junction, Witham. The report highlighted as a factor working time and fatigue (the 'box involved did have a peculiar roster pattern) and recommended that the roster pattern(s) which ATC's undertake. Sadly it left small details out such as rostering dependant on traffic, meal relief (whats that?!!!), the base rostered hours - ours are 35hrs but sunday turns (12hrs) are basically "rostered overtime" etc etc.
So - is there a universal roster which covers every ATC position in the country - or is there a negotiated "base" which is then left up to local agreements etc.
Is that roster dependant on the level of traffic?
What in the way of meal breaks do you guys n gurls get?
Is the break a set period away from the workplace - i.e. disappear outside and have a fag for 20mins (difficult at Heathrow I would reckon)
What are the base hours...
Any answers to the above or a push toward a specific thread/ website would of course be appreciated and I am sure this will be moved if in the wrong "bit".
n.b If there is one job I wouldn't do it would be yours. We work in two dimensions and have electrical current to stop things if it all goes awry..
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Baltasound,
In the UK controllers are legally obliged to comply with the fatigue limitations laid down in the CAP 670 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP670.PDF.). Take a look at Part D, Section 2.
Within that framework ATC units may work to any one of a number of shift patterns, depending very much on the size of the unit, hours of operation, and traffic flows.
In the UK controllers are legally obliged to comply with the fatigue limitations laid down in the CAP 670 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP670.PDF.). Take a look at Part D, Section 2.
Within that framework ATC units may work to any one of a number of shift patterns, depending very much on the size of the unit, hours of operation, and traffic flows.
Last edited by radarman; 15th Nov 2009 at 20:33. Reason: Technical error
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This is something that interests myself too, as a prospective ATCO. I understand the role works on a shift pattern, but some idea's on how this is implemented would be very interesting.
Thanks
Ian
Thanks
Ian
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iannem.. The shift system is arranged to cater for the operational needs of the ATC Unit. Many of the NATS 24-hour units work on a 5-watch system, which is basically 6 days on, 4 days off on a continuous cycle. Night duties are incorporated but usually not more than two in succession. A typical pattern might be 2 x mornings from 7am to 2pm; 2 x afternoons from 2pm to 10pm; 2 x nights from 10pm to 7am. At units where there is little traffic at night some of the watch members will do day duties instead of nights and those day duties vary considerably from early mornings to late afternoons. It's a bit more complicated, but that should give you some idea.
Breaks are arranged so that no controller works for more than a certain length of time without a break. At busy units it may mean 1.5 hours working followed by half an hour break. Meal breaks are included in the shift times mentioned above.
A controller on maximum leave allowance working a 5-watch system attends work about 180 days a year, give or take a few days.
Breaks are arranged so that no controller works for more than a certain length of time without a break. At busy units it may mean 1.5 hours working followed by half an hour break. Meal breaks are included in the shift times mentioned above.
A controller on maximum leave allowance working a 5-watch system attends work about 180 days a year, give or take a few days.
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Baltasound,
Interesting thread.
Fatigue and safety-critical systems are not the best bedfellows.
As a result of your post, I have just read Pringle's report on Hawes, (1910).
A different transport system, in a different era, (just after the events at Kitty-Hawk), BUT, There are still valuable teaching points here, almost 100 years on.
ATC has the 'luxury' of 3-dimensional 'avoiding-action'. Your options appear to be 1-dimensional. You folks can either stop it, or you can't.
Best Wishes and safe signalling.
Interesting thread.
Fatigue and safety-critical systems are not the best bedfellows.
As a result of your post, I have just read Pringle's report on Hawes, (1910).
A different transport system, in a different era, (just after the events at Kitty-Hawk), BUT, There are still valuable teaching points here, almost 100 years on.
ATC has the 'luxury' of 3-dimensional 'avoiding-action'. Your options appear to be 1-dimensional. You folks can either stop it, or you can't.
Best Wishes and safe signalling.
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Zooker.
Thanks for your comments and I will return the wishes and say safe controlling if you be an ATC. Indeed the safety critical element and human interraction has been a constant friction point and as well as Hawes was an element in accidents such as at Norton Fitzwarren and more recently Clapham Junction where the poor tech worked 30 days on the trot, mis-wired the signal in rear which created a "false" green and saw the rear-end collision which saw many folk perish. The public enquiry which followed ushered in the "Hidden rules" by which our base rosters are to abide.
I work in an industry whose rule book has evolved because of accidents, try as we might not every eventuality can be forseen IMHO and the human being although being reduced in numbers, has not been entirely replaced. For example - the computer cannot deal with the call which comes in when a driver has hit another human being; we deal with these things differently but the shock and despair in the voice is something which is difficult to shift out of one's mind.
I would recommend a read of the ESJ report, especially pages 37-40 Rail Accident Investigation: Report 28/2009
in the context of this thread which gives a fascinating insight into how the fatigue element in both industries is managed and why the recommendation is basically a call to see the ending of 12hr shifts (well that is how it is being interpreted). There is a school of thought that working longer weeks in the same pattern and repetition can lead to rote working especially when it is the same area day after day to a set timetable etc.
I would thoroughly recommend LTC Rolt's Red for Danger - this book although out of print is a set text on the causes of accidents, and written in a beautifully humane style.
Thanks for your comments and I will return the wishes and say safe controlling if you be an ATC. Indeed the safety critical element and human interraction has been a constant friction point and as well as Hawes was an element in accidents such as at Norton Fitzwarren and more recently Clapham Junction where the poor tech worked 30 days on the trot, mis-wired the signal in rear which created a "false" green and saw the rear-end collision which saw many folk perish. The public enquiry which followed ushered in the "Hidden rules" by which our base rosters are to abide.
I work in an industry whose rule book has evolved because of accidents, try as we might not every eventuality can be forseen IMHO and the human being although being reduced in numbers, has not been entirely replaced. For example - the computer cannot deal with the call which comes in when a driver has hit another human being; we deal with these things differently but the shock and despair in the voice is something which is difficult to shift out of one's mind.
I would recommend a read of the ESJ report, especially pages 37-40 Rail Accident Investigation: Report 28/2009
in the context of this thread which gives a fascinating insight into how the fatigue element in both industries is managed and why the recommendation is basically a call to see the ending of 12hr shifts (well that is how it is being interpreted). There is a school of thought that working longer weeks in the same pattern and repetition can lead to rote working especially when it is the same area day after day to a set timetable etc.
I would thoroughly recommend LTC Rolt's Red for Danger - this book although out of print is a set text on the causes of accidents, and written in a beautifully humane style.
