Working and Health Conditions of Italian Air Traffic Controllers

The paper summarises some studies carried out in recent years on Italian air traffic controllers. Work stress appeared related mainly to mental charge, aggravated by time pressure and high responsibility. Shiftwork was not considered highly stressful, thanks to the good shift schedules adopted. The disorders most frequently complained of had a prevalent psychosomatic component, concerning the digestive, neuropsychic, and cardiovascular systems. However, their prevalence was lower than, or similar to, that recorded in general population. The controllers engaged in regional centres showed slightly worse health conditions than those engaged in airport towers; the same was found in the radar controllers compared to those working in non-radar positions.

[1]  V. B. Maxwell,et al.  The measurement of risk indicators for coronary heart disease in air traffic control officers: a screening study in a healthy population. , 1983, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine.

[2]  J. Rutenfranz,et al.  Circadian rhythms in human performance. , 1979, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[3]  Giovanni Costa,et al.  Psychophysical conditions of air traffic controllers evaluated by the standard shiftwork index , 1995 .

[4]  G. Mancia,et al.  Ambulatory blood pressure normalcy: the PAMELA Study. , 1991, Journal of hypertension. Supplement : official journal of the International Society of Hypertension.

[5]  R C Smith,et al.  Stress in air traffic personnel: low-density towers and flight service stations. , 1978, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine.

[6]  P Knauth,et al.  Designing better shift systems. , 1996, Applied ergonomics.

[7]  G. Costa,et al.  Evaluation of workload in air traffic controllers. , 1993, Ergonomics.

[8]  H M Wegmann,et al.  CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND RESISTANCE: OPERATIONAL ASPECTS , 1979 .

[9]  S Folkard,et al.  Circadian performance rhythms: some practical and theoretical implications. , 1990, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences.

[10]  S. Cobb,et al.  Hypertension, peptic ulcer, and diabetes in air traffic controllers. , 1973, JAMA.

[11]  S Karson.  Some relations between personality factors and job performance ratings in radar controllers. , 1969, Aerospace medicine.

[12]  Giovanni Costa,et al.  Shiftwork and Circadian Variations of Vigilance and Performance , 1991 .

[13]  G. Mancia,et al.  Ambulatory blood pressure in air traffic controllers. , 1998, American journal of hypertension.

[14]  V. B. Maxwell,et al.  Stress in air traffic control , 1986 .

[15]  G. Costa.  The impact of shift and night work on health. , 1996, Applied ergonomics.

[16]  S R Mohler,et al.  The human element in air traffic control: aeromedical aspects, problems, and prescriptions. , 1983, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine.

[17]  R. Rose,et al.  AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER HEALTH CHANGE STUDY , 1978 .

[18]  J H Crump,et al.  Review of stress in air traffic control: its measurement and effects. , 1979, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine.

[19]  R M Rose,et al.  Objective workload and behavioural response in airport radar control rooms. , 1978, Ergonomics.