Waking up with a fresh perspective

News Article / July 31, 2019

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By Captain Sally Riendeau

Members of 22 Wing North Bay/Canadian Forces Base North Bay are no strangers to shift work.

Charged with protecting and defending the skies over Canada since 1963, the Canadian Air Defense Sector (CADS), partnered with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), performs surveillance, identification, and control in a 24/7 operation that tracks and identifies more than 200,000 flights each year. To accomplish this Herculean task, members of 21 Aerospace Control & Warning Squadron (21 AC&W Sqn), 22 Wing’s operational squadron, work on a four-day shift cycle. Each crew works two 12-hour days followed by two 12-hour nights with a four-day break between cycles.

In 2016, the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) was implemented by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to mitigate fatigue experienced by members of the RCAF. Fatigue, said Lieutenant-General Michael Hood, then commander of the RCAF, is a “High-priority threat to the RCAF that degrades operational effectiveness, flight safety, and the retention of trained effective personnel across all communities.”

The 22 Wing Flight Safety team had already begun researching the validity of the squadron’s shift schedules, to see if changes might reduce fatigue by implementing the FRMS. Their research evolved from an investigation into actively seeking ways to combat sleep deprivation within 21 AC&W Sqn.

The Flight Safety team drew from the Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FAST) software, developed by the United States Air Force (USAF) and validated by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces, and trusted world-wide by government agencies and industries for fatigue research and accident investigations.

The FAST software studies revealed that 21 AC&W Sqn’s shift cycle, which did not offer rest or naps, could leave on-duty members in a state of cognitive effectiveness equivalent to that of person with a blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.08%.

After each shift cycle, members were expected to be able to return home in their impaired cognitive state, dtimssibly through snowstorm or blizzard conditions. The study of the same shift cycle with the addition of rest or a nap indicated members rarely fell into the state of cognitive effectiveness equivalent to that of person with a blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.08%. As well, significant improvement was shown with members registering in the range of cognitive effectiveness at or below 0.05% blood alcohol concentration.

These software results drove the 22 Wing Flight Safety team and 22 Wing Personnel Support Programs (PSP) Health Promotions to organize a heart-rate-based study to determine the risks faced by shift workers. The study comprised members throughout 22 Wing, with members from different flights and workplaces, including those who worked Monday to Friday, straight day shifts. Members were of different ages, ranks, and positions. All members wore heart-rate monitors to capture baseline metrics such as body mass index, body fat percentage, systolic blood pressure on night shifts, the total number of sleep hours taken, and the quality of that sleep. The study indicated night workers had higher systolic blood pressure and a lower number of sleep hours. Of these sleep hours, the quality rated was low to fair.

After the study’s conclusion, the results from the FAST software, in conjunction with the studies findings, indicated a drastic need for change.

A proposal to the 22 Wing Commander discussed the hazardous situation and outlined possible short-, medium- and long-term solutions. The short-term solution was to implement a FRMS policy and to continue research on finding an optimal shift schedule. The medium-term solution comprised the acquisition and allocation of equipment and facilities to promote nap-taking for members while on shift. The long-term solution included an education program, to increase fatigue knowledge and awareness, which would be delivered by 22 Wing PSP Health Promotions.

In summer 2017, the Wing Commander approved a purchase order for three sleep pods. A list of functional requirements for the sleep pods was developed to ensure they correctly addressed the need for shift workers to take naps, without adversely affecting the squadron’s ability to conduct the mission.

The functional requirements for the sleep pods included:

• Noise Reducing – Must be able to dampen sound, however, still allow members to hear Public- Announcements;
• Light Reducing – Must allow for light reduction from ceiling lights to encourage quality sleep;
• Hygiene – Must support easy sanitization using common disinfectants and cleaning solutions;
• Portable – Must be easily relocated using minimal equipment;
• Transmissions – Must not have radio frequency (RF)-emitting functions, including Bluetooth. If these features are pre-installed, the ability to remove or physically disable the features must be built-in;
• Power – Must use standard CSA outlet 120V; and
• Installation – Whether installation services are purchased or not, the equipment must be able to be installed without contractor support.

During sleep pod acquisition, PSP diligently provided education for personnel and the command teams on the effects of shift work. PSP promoted proper nutritional guidelines and offered other strategies to help reduce fatigue among shift workers. Through a myriad of training approaches, including presentations, brochures and posters, the message about fatigue risk management began to be understood by members.

One of the biggest challenges to improving the FRMS by 22 Wing Flight Safety was changing the crew’s culture, which for decades had always discouraged sleeping at work. The need for a paradigm shift was recognized early, and the Wing Commander took a leading role in encouraging this transformation. 21 AC&W Sqn personnel are adopting this new mindset across all ranks and seniority. However, not everyone has been ready to conform. The Flight Safety team feels current leadership support is one key factor ensuring the new culture will soon be fully supported, leading to a healthier, stronger and safer 21 AC&W Sqn.

In June 2018, 22 Wing acquired three sleep pods. By late November of that year, 21 AC&W Sqn received the sleep pods. Over one weekend, the pods were assembled and installed at the back of the operations floor, where there was more privacy and less foot traffic. This newly cordoned off area included storage and hooks, allowing individuals using the pods a space to store uniform items and personal effects, including blankets and pillows for use in the pods.

22 Wing implemented new local policies outlining sleep pod use and hygiene protocols. Also included were recommendations outlining best practices for nap duration, the pros, and cons of using natural or pharmaceutical sleep-aids, and the benefits of strategic caffeine use. The sleep pods are available to all members of 22 Wing who have access to the operations floor. The policy reads:

"Sleep supplementation at any time of the day will help decrease overall fatigue levels, but planning a strategic nap for the time when most impaired by fatigue is optimal in improving overall mental alertness. Research has shown impairment to be most typical from 0200-0500hrs; however, this can vary greatly, with shift workers facing constant disturbance of circadian rhythms. Personnel should listen to their body to gauge their best time for a strategic nap. Trial and error may be required."

Napping is a skill that takes time and consistent effort to develop and refine. The initial goal for the first few months of implementation is to encourage members to be comfortable with the idea of taking naps during work hours. The pods require members to sign in and sign out on a log-sheet before resting. This log exists solely to capture data, including the use of the pods, duration of naps, and what ranks are using the pods.

To date, the success of this program is the direct result of 22 Wing leadership recognizing a problem and taking the required actions to fix the issues. Leadership has modelled desired behavior by openly using the pods during the day, and they offer constant public support for the program. Their example has led to crew members feeling psychologically safe in using the pods during their shifts. The metrics gained so far from completed log sheets reinforce this positive change, and if pod use continues to remain steady, a follow-up fatigue study will be conducted in two years to gauge the long-term benefits of naps during a shift-work cycle.

An assessment of operational effectiveness will be performed in the summer of 2019 to evaluate if any short-term changes are required. This FRMS project is a long-term endeavor, and will continually be updated and modified as more data and feedback become available. There are already plans for expansion, and 22 Wing Flight Safety wholeheartedly believes this project is easily scalable to other wings and squadrons across the RCAF, with the possibility of even benefitting deployed units.

For more information on 22 Wing’s sleep pod project, or help for you to determine if your team could successfully adopt this initiative in your workplace, please contact:

• Health Promotions Manager Lucas Demarco, at lucas.demarco@forces.gc.ca;
• 22 Wing Flight Safety Officer Captain Sally Riendeau, at sally.riendeau@forces.gc.ca; and/or
• 22 Wing Flight Safety NCM Sergeant Danette Weyh, at danette.weyh@forces.gc.ca.