Critical Incident Stress Management in Air Traffic Control and Its Benefits

In this article the authors discuss research into the application of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) to the German Air Traffic Control Services (DFS) in terms of its applicability and relationship to cost-benefit analyses. Evaluation of CISM as implemented at DFS was conducted using a survey method which solicited the opinions of 309 air traffic control (ATC) operators. Evaluations were also collected by peer programs akin to CISM, ATC operator supervisors, and ATC upper management. One item of information collected in these evaluations concerned financial information regarding the effectiveness of CISM at fiscal cost reduction. Most notable was the information regarding the causal chains leading to tangles in the form of critical incidents (CI) that impair ATC activities. Conclusions given include recommendations based on the evaluations collected.