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I'm surprise no one's really mentioned why the Air Traffic Controller fell asleep while on the job.
It's an extremely touchy subject because the reason some air traffic controllers or for that sake, any worker "falls asleep" on a job really has nothing to do with work schedules.
It has to do with sleep apnea.
No one in Congress or any public official wants to comment on this because they are fearful that any workers fired for "sleeping on the job" will immediately claim that they were fired in violation of the American with Disability Act.
While I believe the ADA has been very helpful for millions of Americans, that law has seen so many unintended lawsuits, especially against small business owners that public officials don't want to comment on it.
What we have now, is government will waste even more money by having 2 air traffic controllers in the middle of the night when only one is needed. What happens if both those air traffic controllers have sleep apnea? Than you got 2 sleeping workers.
Look I am medical professional. I've seen so many people literally fall asleep daytime, nighttime, etc. 95% of the time, it's most likely due to sleep apnea. And yes the majority of sleep apnea patients are overweight althlough there a smaller minority who have anatomy that causes them to have sleep apnea.
I have sleep apnea and likely had it for a couple years and did not know it. I just thought I was tired or did not get enough sleep which I'm sure is the same with alot of those with it. And its really bad because you can "drop off' so quickly awaken 5 minutes later your head full of cobwebs and you are wondering what the heck happened. It still is not getting the publicity it should leaving alot of sleep apnea untreated flying, driving, operating heavy equipment ect. Plus treatment options for low or no income uninsured leaves many suffering with it. Here in N.C. a 2 night sleep test cost approx. $4,000.+/- on the other hand I can go to Vermont and they have a program where you can take the same 2 night sleep test and it cost - 0, zip and NADA! People with sleep apnea may fear for their job, insurance Co.'s well likely worry about law suits and Gov't likely worries about cost/abuse of any program they might come up with. sleep apnea =
I have been affected by Sleep Apnea for over a decade. The major symptoms are overweight and a complete inability to remain conscious at meetings. I sit down in a conference room and I am hallucinating (waking dream) within seconds. Dream depravation is a major part of the disease. Fortunately I do not have to attend meetings very often.
I could never take a position that required full attention such as a commercial pilot or ATC. I probably could not even stand 4 hr boiler room watches as I did in the Navy so very long ago.
I believe Sleep Apnea is a disabling disease that warrants the protection of the Disabilities Act.
I'm surprise no one's really mentioned why the Air Traffic Controller fell asleep while on the job.
It's an extremely touchy subject because the reason some air traffic controllers or for that sake, any worker "falls asleep" on a job really has nothing to do with work schedules.
It has to do with sleep apnea.
No one in Congress or any public official wants to comment on this because they are fearful that any workers fired for "sleeping on the job" will immediately claim that they were fired in violation of the American with Disability Act.
While I believe the ADA has been very helpful for millions of Americans, that law has seen so many unintended lawsuits, especially against small business owners that public officials don't want to comment on it.
What we have now, is government will waste even more money by having 2 air traffic controllers in the middle of the night when only one is needed. What happens if both those air traffic controllers have sleep apnea? Than you got 2 sleeping workers.
Look I am medical professional. I've seen so many people literally fall asleep daytime, nighttime, etc. 95% of the time, it's most likely due to sleep apnea. And yes the majority of sleep apnea patients are overweight althlough there a smaller minority who have anatomy that causes them to have sleep apnea.
that's an interesting theory.
rather than firing them, why couldn't those afflicted with sleep apnea be reassigned to a position where falling asleep on the job wouldn't put hundreds of lives in danger?
I'm not so sure it's sleep apnea. There is a lot of research on shift work, much of it done on nurses, who also have to work night shift and be alert. It's hard. Some people (me) just aren't cut out for it. Some people can easily sleep from 8AM to 4 PM, and some can't.
It (napping) can be extremely effective at eliminating fatigue-related accidents and injuries and reducing workers compensation costs. Although most employers do not allow napping in the workplace, a ban on napping may soon prove to be a legal liability.
I'm surprise no one's really mentioned why the Air Traffic Controller fell asleep while on the job.
It's an extremely touchy subject because the reason some air traffic controllers or for that sake, any worker "falls asleep" on a job really has nothing to do with work schedules.
It has to do with sleep apnea.
No one in Congress or any public official wants to comment on this because they are fearful that any workers fired for "sleeping on the job" will immediately claim that they were fired in violation of the American with Disability Act.
While I believe the ADA has been very helpful for millions of Americans, that law has seen so many unintended lawsuits, especially against small business owners that public officials don't want to comment on it.
What we have now, is government will waste even more money by having 2 air traffic controllers in the middle of the night when only one is needed. What happens if both those air traffic controllers have sleep apnea? Than you got 2 sleeping workers.
Look I am medical professional. I've seen so many people literally fall asleep daytime, nighttime, etc. 95% of the time, it's most likely due to sleep apnea. And yes the majority of sleep apnea patients are overweight althlough there a smaller minority who have anatomy that causes them to have sleep apnea.
Interesting. You start a whole thread, and yet not a single piece of evidence to be found.
Some questions immediately jump to mind:
How many of the sleeping controllers have sleep apnea?
How many of the air traffic controllers in the system as a whole have sleep apnea?
How many of them have requested a reasonable accommodation for their disability?
How many of them have threatened to sue someone if they are fired for sleeping on the job? What has happened in those suits that have been filed?
If you're interested in facts, you should know that the ADA will not force an employer to employ someone who is not able, with a reasonable accommodation, to perform the essential functions of the job.
For an air traffic controller, or just about any other worker, the essential functions of the job include staying awake during working hours. No court will order an employer to keep an employee, particularly one whose job is vital to public safety, if that employee can't stay awake when they're supposed to be working.
Look I am medical professional. I've seen so many people literally fall asleep daytime, nighttime, etc. 95% of the time, it's most likely due to sleep apnea. And yes the majority of sleep apnea patients are overweight althlough there a smaller minority who have anatomy that causes them to have sleep apnea.
You are a medical professional and you don't know the difference between sleep apnea (the cessation of breathing during sleep) and narcolepsy (a disorder that brings on rapid onset of the REM state during sleep?!?
You are a medical professional and you don't know the difference between sleep apnea (the cessation of breathing during sleep) and narcolepsy (a disorder that brings on rapid onset of the REM state during sleep?!?
Well ovacatto..you just brought this thread to a screeching halt
any worker "falls asleep" on a job really has nothing to do with work schedules.
Really? So if I gave you a work schedule that was 23 hours on 1 hour off 7 days a week you would never fall asleep on the job? There are reasons why there is mandated time off for people like pilots and truck drivers. It's so they won't fall asleep during their duties.
Should this be happening a lot, then there's a clear problem. ATC's do work overnight shifts. Sorry, but making a concrete statement that this is sleep apnea with no data behind it is just silly. By the way, medical professional means a lot of things. Unless you're an actual MD you can't really diagnose sleep apnea.
There are lots of things that qualify someone as a medical professional. That doesn't make you an expert on the schedules of ATC's or a sleep doctor.
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