To: Ron Anderson, Tom Belau, Derek Zeisler

From: Edward Mills

Date: January 13, 2015
Subject: Relief week scheduling
I understand that we used to have operators who were used solely as relief and there was one person
for each position, now that we have a system where any operator can fill in for someone who is sick or
on vacation and have a complete crew. It is time we change the thinking on how the operators on relief
are scheduled to work.
On at least 5 occasions during 2014, and once so far in 2015, operators have worked relief during the
dayshift hours as an extra and then have returned to work night shift to cover a shift for a person who
called in sick. This is only the times where operators have worked part (or all) of the dayshift then came
back in to work nightshift, there are also many times where the operator has worked the day previously
and is scheduled to work days later in the week only to be called in on night shift. This situation is not
only unhealthy for the worker, but also causes a dangerous situation for everyone at the plant.
Professor Charles Czeisler of Harvard medical school says 24 hours without sleep, or a week of less than
five hours of sleep per night is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of .1% (DUI is .08%). Lack of sleep
has been cited as a cause for numerous actions nationwide, including the BP oil refinery explosion in
March 2005. One of the Identified root causes in the Chemical Safety Board findings was that managers
did not Effectively incorporate human factor considerations in its training, staffing and work schedule
for operations personnel
I suggest that during relief weeks when there are people not scheduled to cover shifts then at least one
of the relief people should be scheduled to work the relief hours during the night from 2000 to 0400. I
also suggest that the current normal scheduling of having the relief people work from 1600-2400 and
then come back in at 0800 the next morning be curtailed as much as possible. When the relief people
work until midnight and are extra the next day they could come in at 1000 or 1200. I fully realize that
there may be times when people work until midnight and have to come in to cover the dayshift the next
day, but to schedule people for a lack of sleep on a routine basis makes no sense.
One of the tasks that operators are assigned during their relief time it to work on cleaning stations, this
would also be easier to accomplish if this was done on night shift. During the day if operators are
cleaning the equipment and piping there are many other people working in the plant, which can cause
those cleaning to knock dust and debris onto people working below. At night there are only the other
operators in the plant, so it would be easier to coordinate where the cleaning is being done without this
happening.
Having a rotating work schedule has bad effects on the health of people, with better scheduling
practices we can try to have safer, healthier, happier, and more productive operators. If you decide not
to implement these suggestions, I would like to receive a written response as to why so I can clarify any
issues or concerns with them.

Edward Mills
Control Room Operator