[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46917-46919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15956]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration


Pipeline Safety: Countermeasures to Prevent Human Fatigue in the 
Control Room

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
DOT.

ACTION: Notice; Issuance of Advisory Bulletin.

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SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 
(PHMSA) issues this advisory bulletin to owners and operators of 
natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines and liquefied natural gas 
facilities. The purpose of this advisory is to help operators ensure 
that controllers are not assigned to shift duties while fatigued, to 
advise pipeline operators on considerations which could cause a 
reduction of mental alertness or decision making ability, and to 
encourage safe management practices.
    This advisory also responds to the National Transportation Safety 
Board's (NTSB) Safety Recommendation P-98-30, which urges PHMSA to 
establish industry guidelines for pipeline controller work schedules to 
reduce the likelihood of accidents attributable to controller fatigue.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Florence Hamn by telephone at (202) 
366-3015; by fax at (202) 366-4566, or by e-mail at 
[email protected]. General information about the PHMSA's Office of 
Pipeline Safety (OPS) programs may be obtained by accessing the Web 
site home page at http://ops.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

NTSB Recommendations

    On November 18, 1998, the NTSB issued Safety Recommendation P-98-
30, which urges PHMSA, formerly RSPA, to ``assess the potential safety 
risks associated with rotating pipeline controller shifts and establish 
industry guidelines for the development and implementation of pipeline 
controller work schedules that reduce the likelihood of accidents 
attributable to controller fatigue.'' This recommendation resulted from 
NTSB's investigation into the rupture of a hazardous liquid pipeline 
that released about 957,600 gallons of fuel oil into a river and 
surrounding areas.
    NTSB determined that the probable cause of the rupture was, in 
part, the failure to ensure that pipeline controllers were properly 
trained to recognize and respond to operational emergencies, abnormal 
conditions, and pipeline leaks. NTSB noted that the controller 
responsible for operation of the failed pipeline had worked under a 
rotating shift schedule that may have contributed to operator fatigue. 
NTSB expressed concern about the potential for pipeline controller 
fatigue from rotating shift schedules.
    In 1999, NTSB issued Safety Recommendation P-99-12, which urges 
PHMSA to establish within two years scientifically based hours of 
service regulations that set limits on hours of service, provide 
predictable work and rest schedules, and consider circadian rhythms and 
human sleep and rest requirements.
    This recommendation resulted from the NTSB's review of all 
transportation accidents reported to U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT) modal administrations over a 10 year period. NTSB noted that it 
had issued over 70 fatigue-related safety recommendations that resulted 
from its investigations of major accidents, special investigations, or 
safety studies that identified operator fatigue as a causal factor. The 
NTSB noted that scientific research has shown that certain sleep 
factors can affect fatigue and performance, such as insufficient sleep, 
irregular schedules, and unpredictable schedules.

PHMSA Actions and Guidance

    In response to these recommendations, PHMSA has been aggressively 
working with the pipeline community and federal agencies to evaluate 
how rotating controller schedules in the pipeline industry may be 
related to human fatigue and safety outcomes. From this work, PHMSA has 
developed the following guidance, which can be applied in the pipeline 
environment:
Work Schedules/Hours of Service
    Fatigue is a critical safety concern for shift workers, especially 
workers in the

[[Page 46918]]

transportation industry. Many pipeline control operators work 10 and 12 
hour shifts, and they generally perform sedentary tasks requiring high 
levels of vigilance. Consequently, fatigue may be an issue, given the 
long hours of continuous control monitoring and the reduced likelihood 
of taking rest breaks. Fatigue can result in sleepiness, drowsiness, 
reduced alertness, and/or slower reaction time. This in turn can make 
handling stressful or emergency situations on the job more difficult. 
Being fatigued can make it difficult to concentrate, thereby increasing 
the possibility of safety-related control errors.
    An individual's body processes have peaks and valleys during every 
24-hour period. Time cues, like work rest schedules, help set the sleep 
pattern. Crossing time zones or changing from a day shift to a night 
shift forces the sleep pattern to move to a different schedule. Time is 
required to adjust to the new schedule.
    Although individuals differ in their optimal sleep requirements, 
adults typically need between 6 and 10 hours of sleep in a 24-hour 
period. Most people, however, require approximately 8 hours of sleep 
per day. When adults get less than 5 hours of sleep over a 24-hour 
period, peak mental abilities begin to decline. Additionally, sleep 
deprivation of just a couple of days can slow response times and 
decrease initiative. Sleep deficit leads to less alertness and slower 
response times.
    Although working non-traditional shifts is a common and necessary 
part of the pipeline control operator's job, the countermeasures 
recommended in this advisory can help reduce the potential detrimental 
effects of shift work on worker safety.
Control Room Environment
    Pipeline control operators generally remain seated for long periods 
of time, and the environment of the control room can affect an 
individual's sleep patterns. The sedentary work of control operators 
can add to shift-work fatigue and reduce an operator's alertness 
because it decreases blood flow and causes sleepiness. An individual's 
sleep pattern is affected by the presence of light and darkness. By 
incorporating specific design features, such as lighting and 
temperature control, operator alertness can be maximized at any time of 
the day or night, which in turn enhances safety by reducing fatigue and 
control errors.
Training and Education
    Because adequate sleep is the main way to address fatigue, 
controller education programs must emphasize the recognition of the 
signs of sleep deprivation. Operators can improve safety by analyzing 
working conditions, addressing operational safety issues, and 
conducting sleep-safety training. For example, teaching control 
supervisors that work rotation schedules that go in the direction of 
the sun have been found to reduce the negative effects of fatigue. 
Furthermore, training controllers on the number of hours of sleep 
needed to reduce fatigue and methods they can use to fall asleep, such 
as dark light shades, can provide controllers with the tools they need 
to control fatigue.

Operator Fatigue Studies

    Several studies are electronically available that provide more 
information about operator fatigue, such as the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's Commercial Transportation Commercial Transportation 
Operator Fatigue Management Reference (2003). This document can be 
viewed at http://ops.dot.gov/regs/reports/Fatigue%20Management%20Reference.pdf. This publication also references many other studies and 
reports on human fatigue.
    PHMSA urges operators to evaluate potential risks associated with 
pipeline operator fatigue and shift rotation schedules and take 
measures to alleviate such risks.

II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-05-06)

    To: Owners and operators of natural gas and hazardous liquid 
pipeline and liquefied natural gas facilities.
    Subject: Countermeasures to Prevent Human Fatigue in the Pipeline 
Control Room.
    Purpose: The purpose of this advisory is to address situations 
where fatigue could reduce the ability of pipeline operators and their 
controller staff to operate pipelines in a safe condition. This 
advisory is designed to help operators ensure that controllers are not 
assigned to shift duties while fatigued, to advise pipeline operators 
on considerations which could cause a reduction of mental alertness or 
decision making ability, and to encourage management practices which 
will promote safety. This advisory provides guidance to gas and liquids 
pipeline operators and their pipeline controllers.
    Advisory: The functions of a controller are often sedentary tasks 
requiring high levels of vigilance. Consequently, fatigue may be an 
issue, given long hours of continuous control monitoring and the 
reduced likelihood of taking rest breaks. Fatigue can result in 
sleepiness, drowsiness, and/or reduced alertness. These factors can 
decrease the ability of the pipeline controller to safely perform 
critical functions. It is known that fatigue is significantly 
underestimated as a contributing factor in conventional accident 
reporting in many transportation modes because it is difficult to 
accurately detect. The scientific knowledge on human alertness has 
improved in recent years, but has not been broadly applied to managing 
operator fatigue because it is difficult to determine how much fatigue 
has contributed to the cause and/or the magnitude of pipeline 
accidents. PHMSA, however, has learned that there are measures that can 
be taken to reduce the detrimental effects of shift work on worker 
safety, and provides the following guidance for operators to consider:

Work Scheduling and Hours of Service

    An individual's body processes have natural peaks and valleys 
during every 24-hour period. Adults typically need between 6 and 10 
hours of sleep in each 24-hour period, and suffer from declining peak 
mental abilities if they get less than 5 hours of sleep. Natural sleep 
schedules are affected by shifts in routine, and can be affected by 
non-routine work schedules. This can lead to fatigue or impair 
alertness if operators are working non-standard shifts or are working 
long hours without enough rest. PHMSA advises pipeline operators to 
consider:
     Developing shift rotation practices to minimize fatigue 
caused by the disruption of normal sleep patterns.
     Limiting work schedules to no more than 12 hours in any 24 
hour period except in extraordinary or emergency situations.
     Developing a policy or procedure to manage unusual 
circumstances where a controller is required to work more than 12 hours 
in any 24 hour period.
     Scheduling at least a 10 hour break between work periods.
     Scheduling overtime on an individual basis, not the whole 
shift of controllers and controller supervisors. Controller fatigue and 
alertness should be considered in allowing overtime.
     Developing guidelines for scheduling controllers and 
supervisors in emergency situations taking into consideration 
controller fatigue and alertness.
     Establishing work relief periods and other measures during 
controller shifts to promote alertness and enhance capabilities for 
effective decision making.

[[Page 46919]]

Control Room Environmental Factors

    An individual's sleep pattern is also influenced by external 
factors. Many control rooms are designed for day workers. In 24-hour 
pipeline operations, alertness and vigilance on the night shift is 
equally as important and should be addressed by the operator. Although 
there are many methods that can be employed to reduce operator fatigue 
in the control room, PHMSA advises pipeline operators to consider:
     Using the available information on control room 
environments to incorporate environmental measures that reduce fatigue 
and promote alertness.
     Adjusting environmental factors to specifically address 
the problems associated with night shifts and shift rotation schedules.
     Sharing information across the industry on environmental 
factors in control rooms that can affect fatigue and controller 
alertness.

Training and Education

    Training and education of both supervisors and controller personnel 
is critical to the prevention of fatigue-related pipeline incidents. 
These efforts can maximize the safety and performance of pipeline 
control personnel by minimizing the effects of fatigue in shift-work 
operations. Therefore, PHMSA advises pipeline operators to consider:
     Educating controllers and controller supervisors on 
factors that impact human fatigue.
     Training supervisors of controllers to recognize signs of 
stress and fatigue both on duty and when reporting for duty.
     Sharing information across the industry on training of 
controllers and supervisors on the effects of fatigue on controller 
alertness and decision making.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 5, 2005.
Theodore L. Willke,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-15956 Filed 8-10-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P