Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centres

Workload Analysis Project

Presentation of

Workload data

Prepared for: Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans

By: Government Consulting Services

Project Number: 571-0982

(Organizational Effectiveness and Strategic HR)

June 28, 2011

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2010

Table of content

1Operational Workload in MCTS Centres:......

1.1How the Operational Workload was Measured......

1.2Workload Information Provided for Each Centre......

1Operational Workload in MCTS Centres:

This chapter presents the approach and methodology followed to assess the operational workload of MCTS Centres. It contains the following sections:

  • Section 1.1 provides an overview of how the operational workload of MCTS centres was measured;
  • Section 1.2 presents an overview of the workload information that is provided for each MCTS centre and a brief description of the graphics and tables included

1.1How the Operational Workload was Measured

A list of tasks representative of the operational workload of MCTS centres was identified during anational workshop held in Ottawa (May 2010) and through discussions with MCTS specialists, shift supervisors and officers. This list includes most MCTS operational tasks and is representative of the workload level for traffic, safety, and regional functions.

For each task measured, the following information was collected from each centre:

  • Volume data per month: The number of times a task was performed each month in the year 2009. This volume was obtained from different sources: existing statistics (MDS), analysis of databases information (INNAV, VTOSS, Notships, Alert Network,..) and in some cases from electronic and paper files.
  • Average time to perform each task. This average time was identified during the National workshop held in Ottawa and through consultation with MCTS officersduring the field visits and the phone interviews. A common average time was indentified for each particular task based on the information collected.
  • Proportion of workload during day and night shifts. The proportion of workload during day and night shifts was assessed for every task at each center. The proportion of workload for each shift is based on a combination of sources: INNAV and VTOSS, broadcast data provided by the MCTS centre, the incidents data from SAR databases, and the time estimation provided by officers met during the field visits or phone interviews. Although centers have not exactly the same shifts hours, we used the 7am to 7pm (days) and 7pm to 7am (nights)for the study which is the formula most commonly used at MCTS centres.

The graphic below shows the basic approach used to assess the workload for operational tasks.

Example: Centre X

1.2Workload Information Provided for Each Centre

This section gives a brief description of the workload information that is provided for each MCTS centre. It provides short explanations related to the data, tables and graphs that resulted from the workload analysis of each Centre.

A. Basic information regarding the staff team of the Centre

The table indicates the number of staff, the number and type of positions as well as the measures, if any, that the centre has implemented to adapt its staffing level with the daily or seasonal variation of its workload.

Centre X

Authorized Staffing / Positions / Management of Workload Variation
  • # of RO-3 (Officers)
  • # of RO-4 (Shift Supervisors)
/
  • # safety positions
  • # traffic positions
  • Standback RO-4
  • ECAREG
  • ALERT
/
  • E.g. Implementation of optimumstaffing,

B. Pie Chart of Annual Workload Distribution

The pie chart shows the proportion of annual workload that each measured task represents in the overall operational workload of the centre. The proportion of each task is calculated based on its workload for the year (number of occurrences X average time). The number preceding each task refers to: 1. traffic tasks, 2. safety tasks and 3. regional functions. The number in blue is the calculated workload in minutes for the year 2009.

C. Volume Data for MeasuredOperational Tasks

This table provides the list of the tasks and the volume numbers per month that were used for the workload analysis of the Centre.

The notes below the table indicate, for each task, how the volume data was obtained.

Example: Centre X

Notes:

Arrival: number of arrivals managed per month in 2009 based on analysis of INNAV/VTOSS data.

CIP: number of calling-in-points managed per month in 2009 based on analysis of INNAV/VTOSS data.

Departure: number of departures managed per month in 2009 based on analysis of INNAV/VTOSS data.

Broadcast:

  • CMB: Assessment of time for CMB daily updates. Based on CMB data provided by MCTS centres.
  • Navtex:Assessment of management time for Navtex per day.
  • Notfish: Number of notices to fishing reported in monthly statistical report sent by MCTS centre.
  • Notships: Number of notices to shipping received from regional Notship authority for broadcasting.
  • Radio Telephony/radio facsimile: assessment of time per day for daily broadcast.
  • Note: bilingual broadcast taken into account for bilingual centers.

Broadcast Unscheduled: Number of unscheduled broadcast reported in monthly statistical report sent by MCTS centre.

Government Business: Number of “government business” reported in monthly statistical report sent by MCTS centre.

Incidents: Number of incidents reported(CASREP) in monthly statistical report.

Other communications:

  • Sail plan filed: Number of sail plans reported in monthly MDSstatistical report.
  • *16: Number of “star 16” communications reported in monthly MDSstatistical report.
  • VHF DSC: Number of VHF-DSC communications reported in monthly statistical report.
  • Notships originated: Numbers reported in monthly statistical report.
  • Weather observation:Number reported in monthly statistical report.
  • Weather observation - Lighthouse: Assessment of time per day for weather observations from lighthouse. Based on assessment in consultation with MCTS centres.

D. Workload for Measured Operational Tasks

This table provides the workload per month associated with the operational tasks of the centre. The table indicates also how the workload was calculated for each task (e.g. volume (table C) X 0.5 minute).

E. Graphic of Traffic Workload Volume

This graph represents the level of workload per month for core VTS tasks (Departures, Calling in Points, Arrivals).

The stacking of each task provides the cumulative VTS workload.

The same scale was used for all MCTS Centers providing easier comparison between centers.

F. Graphic of Safety Workload Volume

This graph represents the level of workload per month for core category of safety tasks (Scheduled Broadcast, Unscheduled Broadcast, Government Business, Other Communications and Incidents).

The stacking of each task provides the cumulative safety workload.

The same scale was used for all MCTS Centers providing easier comparison between centers.

G. Tables– Proportion of Workload per Shifts

These tables indicate the distribution and variation of workload between the day and night shifts.

VTS– Distribution of Workload per Shift: the distribution of the workload is based on the data analysis collected from VTOSS or INNAV systems. In a few cases, when the data from the two traffic databases was not available or complete, the traffic volume was assessed by other calculations and is indicated as a note in the appropriate section.

The monthly shift percentage of workload is based on the calculation of all day and night shifts for Traffic workload (Departures, CIP, Arrivals) in 2009 for the Centre.

Safety – Distribution of Workload per Shift: The proportion of safety workload during day shift and night shift is based on a combination of sources: broadcast data provided by the MCTS centre, the incidents data from SAR databases, and the estimation provided by officers met during the field visits, the national workshop and phone interviews. Those sources allowed assessing the proportion of workload for each safety task during day and night shifts. The table shows the cumulative workload proportion of those tasks for each shift.

Safety – Incidents per Shift: The percentage of monthly incidents during day and night shifts is based on the analysis of data from the CCG Search and Rescue databases for the specific SAR areas of the centre. The percentage of night shift incidents is also sub-divided in evening (7-12) and night (12-7) periods since the occurrence of incidents during these periods tends to be different.

Example: Centre X

H. Tables of Workload Indicators by Shifts and Months

These tables indicate the level of workload for each shift (day/night) of each month based on 2009 data.

VTS– Average Workload per Hour for Measured Tasks: the average workload per hour is based on the data analysis of VTOSS or INNAV systems. In a few cases, when the data from the two traffic databases was not available or incomplete, the traffic volume was assessed by other calculations and is indicated as a note in the appropriate section.

The average represents the number of minutes per hour associated with the measured traffic tasks (Departures, CIP, Arrivals) in 2009 for the Centre.

Safety – Average Workload per Hour for Measured Tasks: The average represents the number of minutes per hour associated with the measured safety tasks in the study for each shift (day/night) of each month.

Safety – Number of Incidents per Shift and Month: The number of incidents per month is based on information recorded by each MCTS Centre in 2009. The distribution of incidents between the day and night shifts is based on statistical time of incidents occurrence from the CCG Search and Rescue databases for the specific SAR areas of the centre. The number of night shift incidents is also sub-divided in evening (7-12) and night (12-7) periods since the occurrence of incidents during these periods tends to be different.

Example: Centre X

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