Mitigating Fatigue to Improve Transportation Safety

Conference of US Secretary of Transportation and International Sleep Science Technology Association (ISSTA) Experts

Date/Time: Feb. 3rd, 2020/13:00-15:00

Venue: US Department of Transportation, Lincoln Conference Room

Agenda:

1:30 p.m.: Introduction and Welcome

US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao

1:35 p.m.: DOT's Research on Fatigue and Transportation

Thomas E. Nesthus, Federal Aviation Administration

Rory Austin, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Theresa Hallquist, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Starr Kidda, Federal Railway Administration

Moderator: Stephen Popkin, Volpe Center

2:15 p.m. Sleep Technology Consortium Research on Fatigue and Transportation

Rayleigh Ping-Ying Chiang, President, International Sleep Science & Technology Association

Professor James Denneny, CEO & Vice President of American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Moderator: Diana Furchtgott-Roth, U.S. Department of Transportation

3:00 p.m.: Adjourn

Participants:

US Department of Transportation:

1.     Secretary Elaine Chao

2.    Joel Szabat, Acting Undersecretary of Policy

3.  Dianna Furchtgott-Roth, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research & Technology

4.    Stephen Popkin, Deputy Director for Research and Technology

5.  Thomas E. Nesthus, Psychologist for Engineering Research, Federal Aviation Administration

6.   Rory Austin, Chief, Injury Prevention Research Division, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

7.    Dr. Starr Kidda, Psychologist at the Federal Railroad Administration

8.   Theresa Hallquist, Project Manager, Research Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

9.   Dr. Michael Berry, Federal Air Surgeon, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Federal Aviation Administration

10.  Tim Wang, Director, Strategic Initiatives, Office of Assistant Secretary for Research

International Sleep Science Technology Association (ISSTA):

1.    Prof. Dr. med. Rayleigh Chiang, President of ISSTA

2.   Prof. Ofer Jacobowitz, ISSTA Secretary General

3.  Prof. Jim Denneny, CEO and Vice-President of American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)

4.  Prof. Naresh M. Punjabi, Sleep Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns-Hopkins University

5.   Prof. Robson Capasso, Chair of Sleep Surgery, Stanford University

6.   Prof. Emerson Wickwire, Director, Insomnia Program, Maryland University

7.   Dr. Quan Ni, Vice President of Research and Clinical Affairs, Inspire Medical Systems, Inc, U.S.A.

8.  Prof. Tai-Shih Chi, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chao-Tung University, Taiwan

Discussion Topic: Mitigating Fatigue to Improve Transportation Safety

Led by Prof. Dr. med. Rayleigh Chiang, President of ISSTA ( www.isstasleep.org ) Berlin Headquarter and Taiwan Chapter, and the Co-founder and CEO of Innovative Medical and Health Technology Center (IMHTC, www.isstasleep.org/imhtc ), the delegation met with the US Department of Transportation led by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to discuss sleep and driving safety on February 3rd. In addition to President Rayleigh Chiang and ISSTA Secretary General Ofer Jacobowitz, the participants from ISSTA included Prof. James Denneny, CEO and Vice-President of American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS); Prof. Naresh M. Punjabi, Sleep Medicine and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns-Hopkins University; Prof. Robson Capasso, Chair of Sleep Surgery, Stanford University; Prof. Emerson Wickwire, Director, Insomnia Program, Maryland University; Dr. Quan Ni, Vice President of Research and Clinical Affairs, Inspire Medical Systems, Inc, U.S.A.; Prof. Tai-Shih Chi, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chao-Tung University, Taiwan. President Rayleigh Chiang and Vice-President Denneny representing ISSTA and AAO-HNS respectively presented the fundamental sleep medicine and technology for transportation safety and provided recommendations on future research, development. The presentation topics include “Potential Mechanisms for Continuous Dialogue on Sleep and Transportation Safety” and “How Can the Sleep Community Collaborate to Improve Public Safety.”

The participants from the U.S. Department of Transportation included U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao, the Acting Undersecretary for Policy Joel Szabat, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Diana Furchtgott-Roth. US DOT arranged 6 experts and officials to speak on “Mitigating Fatigue to Improve Traffic Safety” for full discussion and communication, including Dr. Stephen Popkin, Deputy Director for Research and Technology, Volpe Center, topic: “U.S. DOT Activities Regarding Operator Fatigue”; Dr. Thomas E. Nesthus, Engineering Research Psychologist, Federal Aviation Administration, topic: “Federal Aviation Administration Fatigue Research”; Dr. Rory Austin, Acting Director of the Office of Behavioral Safety Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, topic: “National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatigue Research”; Dr. Starr Kidda, Human Factors Division Chief, Federal Railway Administration, topic: “Federal Railroad Administration”; Dr. Theresa Hallquist, Research Analyst, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, topic: “Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue Research”; Dr. Michael Berry, Federal Air Surgeon, Office of Aerospace Medicine Federal Aviation Administration and Tim Wang, Director for Strategic Initiatives.

The US DOT recognized the content and value of this meeting and the existing effects of sleep on shift workers and working place safety, it is proposed that ISSTA will visit Deputy Secretary of US Department of Labor (DOL), Mr. Pizzella to hold related meetings with officials and experts of DOL to discuss the impact of fatigue to occupational safety and workers’ health in the work place. Also, Sleep & Public Safety Consortium, (SPSC, https://www.facebook.com/groups/190640482270815/?ref=bookmarks ) and Sleep & Public Safety Foundation (SPSF, https://www.facebook.com/groups/269017980751925/?ref=bookmarks) inaugural meeting and forum are planned to be launched in Philadelphia on June 13th and will invite officials and experts from the US DOT, US DOL, AIT, ISSTA, AAO-HNS, AASM, and related institutes to participate. Prior to this, in light of the experiences from ISSTA Taiwan Chapter on establishment of Sleep Technology Consortium (STC, www.isstasleep.org/stc) under the support of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in Taiwan, ISSTA Taiwan Chapter will provide the mission, vision, goals and action plans of STSC/STSF for the review by the US DOT and DOL to achieve better progress for STSC/STSF.