Narrative:

The NTSB requires ord tower to have a 'monitor' in place whenever intersecting runway operations are in use. This rigid requirement of theirs does not necessarily improve the margin of safety at ord. The monitors sole function is to monitor the intersection of the runways being used. They have ultimate authority over the position, leaving a who's in charge question between the monitor and the controller. The monitor position is a tedious position and it is very difficult for the monitor to keep his attention on the runway intersection and the operation since he is not actively involved in the operation. Quite often the monitor becomes more of an obstruction or distraction to the local controller rather than an aid. The monitor is a misuse of FAA manpwr. Personnel would be better used as cabin attendant coordinators or additional ground or local controllers. The local controller, meanwhile, needs to know they are solely responsible for their operation. Additionally, there are times when a monitor is only occasionally required at a position due to intermittent intersecting operations. Meeting the requirements of the monitor order is an additional duty, workload and distraction for the local controller that negates any possible gain from having this extra pair of eyes. Finally, staffing restrictions in addition to the monitor requirements have led to O'hare restricting runway use which leads to backups and delays. Backups and delays are always a problem since it leads to controllers pushing the outer limits of safety. To move the traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR MONITOR POS MONITORS MULTIPLE RWY OP, INTERSECTING RWYS TO INSURE STANDARD SEPARATION WILL EXIST AT THE INTXN OF RWYS.

Narrative: THE NTSB REQUIRES ORD TWR TO HAVE A 'MONITOR' IN PLACE WHENEVER INTERSECTING RWY OPS ARE IN USE. THIS RIGID REQUIREMENT OF THEIRS DOES NOT NECESSARILY IMPROVE THE MARGIN OF SAFETY AT ORD. THE MONITORS SOLE FUNCTION IS TO MONITOR THE INTXN OF THE RWYS BEING USED. THEY HAVE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OVER THE POS, LEAVING A WHO'S IN CHARGE QUESTION BTWN THE MONITOR AND THE CTLR. THE MONITOR POS IS A TEDIOUS POS AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE MONITOR TO KEEP HIS ATTN ON THE RWY INTXN AND THE OP SINCE HE IS NOT ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE OP. QUITE OFTEN THE MONITOR BECOMES MORE OF AN OBSTRUCTION OR DISTR TO THE LCL CTLR RATHER THAN AN AID. THE MONITOR IS A MISUSE OF FAA MANPWR. PERSONNEL WOULD BE BETTER USED AS CAB COORDINATORS OR ADDITIONAL GND OR LCL CTLRS. THE LCL CTLR, MEANWHILE, NEEDS TO KNOW THEY ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A MONITOR IS ONLY OCCASIONALLY REQUIRED AT A POS DUE TO INTERMITTENT INTERSECTING OPS. MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MONITOR ORDER IS AN ADDITIONAL DUTY, WORKLOAD AND DISTR FOR THE LCL CTLR THAT NEGATES ANY POSSIBLE GAIN FROM HAVING THIS EXTRA PAIR OF EYES. FINALLY, STAFFING RESTRICTIONS IN ADDITION TO THE MONITOR REQUIREMENTS HAVE LED TO O'HARE RESTRICTING RWY USE WHICH LEADS TO BACKUPS AND DELAYS. BACKUPS AND DELAYS ARE ALWAYS A PROBLEM SINCE IT LEADS TO CTLRS PUSHING THE OUTER LIMITS OF SAFETY. TO MOVE THE TFC.

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.