Controller complains about facility policy on conducting position relief briefing.

Attributes
ACN	171086
Time
Date	199102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : bwi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	171086
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

ZDC management recently instituted mandatory recorded relief briefings west/O proper equipment to make it work. To record briefings we need to turn off the frequencys for the duration of the briefing. In my opinion vacating frequencys is unsafe during this procedure. Some aircraft check on frequency receive no reply and return to previous controller thus increasing his workload. During busy periods it is nearly impossible to issue briefing and avoid getting behind in your priorities of duty. In busy periods you must issue briefing while continue to control your sector. To remedy situation we must have equipment capabilities to record while still being able to issue control instructions to aircraft, a 'hot microphone' switch would allow us to do this. West/O 'hot microphone' switch procedure should be discontinued in the interest of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS ABOUT FAC POLICY ON CONDUCTING POSITION RELIEF BRIEFING.

Narrative: ZDC MGMNT RECENTLY INSTITUTED MANDATORY RECORDED RELIEF BRIEFINGS W/O PROPER EQUIP TO MAKE IT WORK. TO RECORD BRIEFINGS WE NEED TO TURN OFF THE FREQS FOR THE DURATION OF THE BRIEFING. IN MY OPINION VACATING FREQS IS UNSAFE DURING THIS PROC. SOME ACFT CHK ON FREQ RECEIVE NO REPLY AND RETURN TO PREVIOUS CTLR THUS INCREASING HIS WORKLOAD. DURING BUSY PERIODS IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ISSUE BRIEFING AND AVOID GETTING BEHIND IN YOUR PRIORITIES OF DUTY. IN BUSY PERIODS YOU MUST ISSUE BRIEFING WHILE CONTINUE TO CTL YOUR SECTOR. TO REMEDY SITUATION WE MUST HAVE EQUIP CAPABILITIES TO RECORD WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO ISSUE CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO ACFT, A 'HOT MIC' SWITCH WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THIS. W/O 'HOT MIC' SWITCH PROC SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.