Work Schedules and Sleep Patterns of Railroad Dispatchers [Research Results]

Federal Railroad Administration2007PDFBriefRaslear, ThomasUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentFoster-Miller, Inc.McCann, LeoMelton, GaryUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentUnited StatesRailroad safetyRailroad facility operationsRailroad traffic controlFatigue (Physiological condition)AlertnessDispatchersDispatchingHours of laborLabor forceNight shiftsRest periodsSchedulesSleep disordersShiftsSleep deprivationSleepSurveysRailroadsrailroad dispatchershiftworkextra boardtrick dispatcherassistant chief dispatcherwork schedulesRR07-09DTFR53-01-D-00029Thomas RaslearThe Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development sponsored a project to study the work schedules and sleep patterns of U.S. railroad dispatchers and to examine the relationship between these schedules and level of alertness of the individuals working the schedules. The methodology for this study was a survey of a random sample of currently working U.S. dispatchers who completed a background survey and kept a daily log for 2 weeks. Railroad dispatchers are a predominantly healthy middle-aged male population, but 14 percent are women. Dispatchers work as either a trick dispatcher, subject to the limitations of the Hours of Service Law, or an assistant chief dispatcher who oversees the trick dispatchers. All dispatching jobs have a 40-hour nominal workweek, but assistant chief dispatchers average nearly 45 hours per week. Dispatchers are a shiftwork population. Many are subject to working nights and a variable work schedule, making it difficult to get adequate quality sleep. Overall, 39 percent of dispatchers average 6 or fewer hours of sleep in 24 hours while 29 percent of U.S. adults get this amount of sleep. Across all three shifts, dispatcher alertness on workdays peaked after arrival at work and then declined through the workday. The decline was greatest for those working third shift.136