Assessing Fatigue Risk and Mitigation Strategies for Air Traffic Controllers in European Air Traffic Service Providers

Abstract

Air Traffic Controllers face numerous fatigue-related challenges due to irregular working hours and demanding workload. In response to European regulations aimed at preventing fatigue and stress, a scientific evaluation funded by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency was undertaken across member states. The objective of this study, as one of the most comprehensive to date in Europe, is to assess fatigue risk levels and identify contributing factors within current operations. The research methodology combined various data collection methods across European Air Traffic Service Providers, including an evaluation of current scheduling practices and fatigue management alongside a field data collection in representative entities. Sleep, fatigue, and workload data of 216 volunteers were collected and validated by sleep actigraphy measurements. Statistical analysis of fatigue data on fatigue risk exposure revealed that 5.6% of analyzed duties were associated with critical levels of fatigue. The top five factors contributing to these critical levels are night shifts, challenging weather conditions, monotonous traffic situations, accumulated sleep debt, and extended working hours without breaks. Several recommendations were elaborated to improve fatigue prevention and mitigation at predictive, proactive and reactive levels, encompassing improvements to the rostering process, enhanced fatigue monitoring mechanisms, and practical interventions within organizations.