1. Transports Canada Transport Canada Fatigue Stress Pressure Presented by: Patrick Kessler Transport Canada Inspector System Safety

2. Transports Canada Transport Canada Let’s suppose that a 22 year-old pilot has just been hired. What issues will he/she face?  Salary  Work Schedule  Experience  Career goals  Personal life  Competition with colleagues

3. Transports Canada Transport Canada Human Factors  Fatigue and counteractive measures  Stress  Pressure

4. Transports Canada Transport Canada Objectives  Understand that fatigue and stress can prevent us from performing our duties.  Find ways of reducing our fatigue and stress levels.  Find ways of dealing with fatigue and stress in an operational manner.

5. Transports Canada Transport Canada Fatigue refers to a decrease in productivity and a general lack of desire to work. (Grandjean, 1988) (Human Factors Journal, 1994) Definition of fatigue

6. Transports Canada Transport Canada Fatigue Lack of sleep:  Cumulative;  The need to sleep. Circadian rhythm:  Physiological and behavioural process;  Ups and downs.

7. Transports Canada Transport Canada 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Local Time (in hours) Circadian Rhythms:

8. Transports Canada Transport Canada Factors that affect sleep  Age  Health  Medication  Alcohol  The environment/working conditions

9. Transports Canada Transport Canada Consequences of fatigue Practically every aspect of performance is hindered:  Poor judgment;  Slower reactions;  Forgetting systematic checks;  Decrease in problem-solving ability;  Withdrawal.

10. Transports Canada Transport Canada Effects on performance  Seventeen hours without sleep results in a performance level equivalent to a 0.05% blood alcohol level (two beers).  Twenty-four hours without sleep results in a performance level equivalent to a 0.10% blood alcohol level.

11. Transports Canada Transport Canada Extreme Fatigue Leads to an involuntary and uncontrollable shutdown of the brain

12. Transports Canada Transport Canada Implication for flights Periods of extended service:  Extended period of wakefulness;  Fatigue resulting from uninterrupted continuous activities;  Boredom/complacency;  Crossing different time zones. Limited time for sleep:  Cumulative sleep debt.

13. Transports Canada Transport Canada Popular misconceptions  “I know how tired I am.”  “I’ve gone without sleep before without it affecting my performance.”  “I’m a professional and I can overcome the challenge.” Why not? It is very difficult to recognize and reliably determine our own level of fatigue!

14. Transports Canada Transport Canada The fatigue factor in aviation: Fatigue Countermeasures Z Z Z Z Z Z Z

15. Transports Canada Transport Canada There is no simple answer!  Sleep and the physiology of the circadian rhythm are complex.  There are significant differences among people.  Different flights have different stresses. Be wary of “miracle cures” for fatigue and jetlag. There is no magic remedy.

16. Transports Canada Transport Canada Alertness management strategies Preventive strategies:  Used before a flight and during a stopover to counter the harmful effects of fatigue, sleep loss and disturbance of the circadian rhythm during a flight. Operational strategies:  Used during a flight to maintain alertness and level of performance.

17. Transports Canada Transport Canada Preventive strategies  Strategies that prepare you for sleep.  Strategies that help you fall asleep.  Strategies that improve the quality of your sleep.

18. Transports Canada Transport Canada Sleep aids  Sleeping pills:  May help you fall asleep and sleep better;  Some may alter your sleep or have side effects;  May create dependence;  Take the lowest dose for the shortest possible period.  Melatonin:  May facilitate the adaptation of the circadian rhythm and encourage sleep;  Its long-term effects are unknown;  It is not available legally in Canada.

19. Transports Canada Transport Canada Strategies to increase alertness A NAP BEFORE A FLIGHT CAN IMPROVE ALERTNESS!!  If it is prior to a flight, try to limit your nap to 45 minutes.  If it is not prior to a flight, you can rest longer (1.5 hours to 2 hours).  If you don’t have 45 minutes, sleeping a little is better than not sleeping at all.

20. Transports Canada Transport Canada Strategies to increase alertness What can you do in the cockpit??  Start a conversation.  Do something physical.  Consume caffeine strategically:  Caffeine increases alertness. It takes between 15 and 30 minutes for it to have an effect and this effect can last between 3 and 4 hours.  Eat wisely and drink water.

21. Transports Canada Transport Canada If you remember nothing else, remember this:  Fatigue is a physiological factor and it is impossible to change physiology.  Fatigue can have serious consequences and it must be taken seriously.  Aviation makes you prone to fatigue, but there are things you can do about it.  There is no simple answer; find out what works for you!

22. Transports Canada Transport Canada Stress The body’s response to the strains that it experiences.

23. Transports Canada Transport Canada Acute stress Acute stress is brought on by problems that arise suddenly. For example: the stress of additional problems before the flight when we are trying to keep to the schedule.

24. Transports Canada Transport Canada Chronic stress  Chronic stress is a result of long- term conditions, both positive and negative.  Examples: a divorce or winning the lottery.

25. Transports Canada Transport Canada Anxiety Can be defined as:  An emotion  A state of apprehension  A normal and necessary phenomenon Anxiety can cause disease

26. Transports Canada Transport Canada 26 Performance Workload Timeline (Workload /Time) Light and heavy workloads:

27. Transports Canada Transport Canada Stressors in aviation  Medical exams  Check flights  Diseases  Pay  Conflicts  Fear of flying  Keeping to schedule  Passengers  Noises and vibrations  Temperature and humidity  Diet  Dehydration  Pressure changes  Confined spaces  Poor visibility

28. Transports Canada Transport Canada Effects of stress  Absenteeism: burnout, depression;  Workplace accidents;  Low tolerance for frustration;  Poor eating habits;  Tremors;  Decrease in morale and lack of enthusiasm;  Decrease in productivity.

29. Transports Canada Transport Canada The basics of stress management  Identify, recognize, eliminate or counteract stressors.  Proactively deal with the stress factors affecting you.  Rest sufficiently.  Eat a balanced diet.  Exercise.  Communicate.  Take stock of your attitudes, your sense of humour and your affective state.

30. Transports Canada Transport Canada Documentation A number of [French-language] tools are available:  Facteurs humains en sécurité aérienne [human factors in aviation safety]; B. Emeyriat, Modulo publishing;  Internet: www.psychomedia.qc.cawww.psychomedia.qc.ca  Internet: http://perso.club- internet.fr/stanb/Stress/stress.htmhttp://perso.club- internet.fr/stanb/Stress/stress.htm

31. Transports Canada Transport Canada PRESSURE Urgent demands affect our performance

32. Transports Canada Transport Canada Sources of pressure  MANAGEMENT  COLLEAGUES  YOURSELF

33. Transports Canada Transport Canada Video on pressure

34. Transports Canada Transport Canada Sources of pressure 3 2 1 MANAGEMENT COLLEAGUES YOURSELF

35. Transports Canada Transport Canada “The pressure on our shoulders”  Accept our responsibility towards a situation

36. Transports Canada Transport Canada DEAL WITH PRESSURE  STOP  LOOK  LISTEN  ACT

37. Transports Canada Transport Canada Summary  Fatigue management is crucial.  By learning to control our stress, we become able to give our best and to better organize our lives.  Manage pressure effectively

38. Transports Canada Transport Canada Questions and Comments