Max Kick, No Sugar – A Way to Manage Fatigue?

I walked into a quick mart in Heidelberg, Germany.  It’s interesting that the Germans also are using energy drinks as a way to get some quick energy.  In pipeline control centers, I notice that the younger employees use energy drinks instead of coffee.  I asked our host, an Army employee, if it is similar in the Army.  He said, “Oh, yeah.  The old guys drink coffee, and the youngsters use energy drinks.

When we were at a hotel for military personnel and their guests last week, the buffet restaurant had huge containers of regular coffee and one pot of decaf coffee.  I am used to seeing similar sized pots of regular and decaf coffee in hotels.  Our host said that very few military people drink decaf, since they need the caffeine boost.

What about you?  What about your co-workers?   Are you caffeinated or decaffeinated?  Do you use coffee or energy drinks?   Are these substitutes for adequate sleep?

Posted December 29th, 2010 in Human Factors, Managing Fatigue, Observations

2011 Managing Fatigue Educational Program

I am excited that 613 people will participate in the 2011 Managing Fatigue Educational Program. Companies in the USA and Canada want their employees to receive a calendar, use the monthly articles in safety meetings and discussions, and use the PowerPoint presentation for group and individual training.

If you haven’t placed an order, join managers and employees who will be using these products as part of a fatigue risk management system in 2011.  Look at the calendar Managing Fatigue 2011 Calendar

The program is priced at $15.95 per calendar plus shipping.  The articles and training presentation are provided at no additional charge.

E-mail charles@charlesalday.com with the number you want and your mailing address.  You can  be invoiced or use PayPal to use a credit card.

Posted December 27th, 2010 in Human Factors, Managing Fatigue

Assumptions Cause Problems, Particularly in Houston

After the API Control Room Forum, I had a nice lunch with Steve Will of Evosites.  The company designs and builds control room consoles, and my clients are interested in the “sit and stand” console.  When I went back to the hotel to get a cab to the airport, Orest Hodinski from Kinder Morgan Canada and one of the pipeline controllers were sitting outside.  They also were going to the airport.  Orest asked me if I wanted to share a cab.  That was nice,  and I was glad to share a taxi.

We got in the cab, and I noticed we were getting on I-610 North.  I then remembered that one of the two airports in Houston was Bush International and the other was Hobby.  My flight was out of Hobby; theirs was out of Bush International.  Thankfully, we were still close to the hotel.  The driver made a loop and I took another taxi to Hobby.  Hope Orest, Anderson, and Wayne made their flight to Edmonton.

All flights in my hometown of Atlanta are from one airport.  I need to stop making assumptions that there is only one airport in other cities, even if  usually fly into Hobby Airport on my frequent trips to Houston.

Posted November 20th, 2010 in Human Factors, Observations