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Rail News: Labor
2/3/2004
Rail News: Labor
BMWE to participate in FRA-sponsored fatigue study of MOW workers
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In spring, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE) officials expect to learn the results of a fatigue study sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration and conducted by Foster-Miller Inc.
Designed to determine the impact of schedules and work environment on maintenance-of-way employees' performance, the study will include BMWE-member feedback. Foster-Miller plans to randomly select about 350 nationwide union members and ask them to maintain work/sleep diaries for two weeks.
Each day, participants would record work and sleep times; note the quality of their sleep and alertness level; document commute times, work hours, and meal periods; and comment on any circumstances involving overnight accommodations when away from home.
"The expansion of territories, the erratic on-call status of BMWE members, work week variations, and inadequate away-from-home lodging and meal arrangements contribute to an environment where fatigue is the norm," said acting BMWE President Fred Simpson in the union's January/February newsletter. "Over the years, we have tried to get the industry to address a number of conditions that contribute to fatigue in the maintenance-of-way craft."
The study aims to document and characterize work/rest schedules and sleep patterns, and examine the relationship between schedules and an individual's alertness/fatigue level under various conditions. FRA recently conducted similar studies involving train and engine personnel, and signalmen.
"Once the study results are in, I am hopeful that we can utilize the data to address those conditions that contribute unnecessarily to fatigue among BMWE members," said Simpson.
Designed to determine the impact of schedules and work environment on maintenance-of-way employees' performance, the study will include BMWE-member feedback. Foster-Miller plans to randomly select about 350 nationwide union members and ask them to maintain work/sleep diaries for two weeks.
Each day, participants would record work and sleep times; note the quality of their sleep and alertness level; document commute times, work hours, and meal periods; and comment on any circumstances involving overnight accommodations when away from home.
"The expansion of territories, the erratic on-call status of BMWE members, work week variations, and inadequate away-from-home lodging and meal arrangements contribute to an environment where fatigue is the norm," said acting BMWE President Fred Simpson in the union's January/February newsletter. "Over the years, we have tried to get the industry to address a number of conditions that contribute to fatigue in the maintenance-of-way craft."
The study aims to document and characterize work/rest schedules and sleep patterns, and examine the relationship between schedules and an individual's alertness/fatigue level under various conditions. FRA recently conducted similar studies involving train and engine personnel, and signalmen.
"Once the study results are in, I am hopeful that we can utilize the data to address those conditions that contribute unnecessarily to fatigue among BMWE members," said Simpson.
