TWR CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT LACK OF STAFFING IN THE TWR.

Narrative

DUE TO 2 OPERRORS IN THE SUMMER OF 1997; THERE WAS A CHANGE MADE TO OUR SOP. WE HAVE 3 LCL CTL POS -- LCL W; LCL E; AND LCL HELIS. LCL HELIS IS OFTEN COMBINED WITH LCL W; MAKING FOR AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT SIT WHEN THERE ARE NUMEROUS HELIS AND FIXED WINGS OPERATING IN THE BOSTON BRAVO. 2 OPERRORS HAPPENED DUE TO LACK OF SEPARATION BTWN DEPS AND TRANSITIONS WHEN W AND HELIS WERE COMBINED. NOW THE SOP DICTATES LCL HELIS SHALL BE STAFFED XA45-XD00 AND XK00-XM00 LCL MON-FRI AS WELL AS XK00-XM00 SUNDAY. THESE ARE TYPICALLY BUSY TIMES; ESPECIALLY WITH TFC RPTING HELIS AND FIXED WINGS. DUE TO POOR STAFFING; LCL HELIS IS OFTEN NOT STAFFED AS DEMANDED BY THE SOP. THIS RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE SIT OF A CTLR WORKING 2 POS THAT NEED TO BE DECOMBINED AS THE FACILITY DIRECTS. THERE WERE 6 FPL'S ONLY ON THIS DAY AND HELIS WERE NOT STAFFED UNTIL A STAFF SUPPORT SPECIALIST WAS BROUGHT IN TO WORK IT. OFTEN IT SIMPLY GOES UNSTAFFED DESPITE THE SOP AND DESPITE THE 2 OPERRORS THAT WERE CAUSED BY COMBINING THEM. WHEN FPL'S ARE OUT ON LEAVE (SICK; ANNUAL) THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. WORKING SHORT STAFFED COMPROMISES SAFETY.