It is difficult to respond sensibly to Bumaye’s post (above) without a solid working knowledge of the situation. To the layman it seems ‘passing strange’ that there is simply not a ‘floater’ on the roster – a spare body, to take over a position while the relieved operator stretches legs, gets a coffee, toddles off to the loo or even ducks out of the fire door for a forbidden smoke.
Night shift ennui is well documented, the need to keep ATCO’s alert and on the ball is self evident, there is also an OH&S element, it cannot be ‘healthy’ to be stuck in a chair for hours on end without some form of physical activity and a break from tedium (look what it did to Halfwit). No, for my two bob’s worth of ATC fees the benefits of a ‘floater’ far outweigh the cost. If the ATCO’s can see the need for a break during the shift then surely it can’t be too much to ask that management meet that need - in the name of safety..
Night shift ennui is well documented, the need to keep ATCO’s alert and on the ball is self evident, there is also an OH&S element, it cannot be ‘healthy’ to be stuck in a chair for hours on end without some form of physical activity and a break from tedium (look what it did to Halfwit). No, for my two bob’s worth of ATC fees the benefits of a ‘floater’ far outweigh the cost. If the ATCO’s can see the need for a break during the shift then surely it can’t be too much to ask that management meet that need - in the name of safety..