Let’s say there’s a serious health problem affecting a major public service. At its worst, it could result in the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, along with millions of dollars in property damage.

Then let’s say that, in the view of most experts who study this condition, there are a number of partial remedies — but there is one specific treatment that would be by far the most effective way of combating it.

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A passenger jet flies past the FAA control tower at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. FAA officials say they will not allow air traffic controllers to take catnaps during breaks, the surest remedy to drowsiness on the job. Associated Press file

But with hundreds of lives and millions of dollars’ worth of property at stake, the service provider says it will adopt the less-effective remedies — but will not consider adopting the best treatment under any circumstances whatsoever.

That, unfortunately, is exactly what the Federal Aviation Administration has done to its air traffic controllers, who have a well-documented risk of falling asleep during overnight duty.

It’s not endemic to controllers — any workers up past midnight in jobs without much stimulation are at risk of drowsiness, no matter how much rest they got beforehand.

There is a remedy, which long-haul truckers and soldiers sharing guard duty have long known: catnaps. As little as a half-hour’s sleep can forestall drowsiness for hours.

But the FAA has a strict rule against napping on the job, even during breaks, and will only let tired controllers take a day off as vacation or sick time, or turn a radio on.

So, for the sake of its unreasoned view that the image of controllers sleeping at any time is “bad,” the FAA is putting people’s lives at risk.

It’s time for Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to let the controllers catnap. We’ll all be safer for it.

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