Narrative:

Beginning feb/xx/95, the FAA began modifications of the M-1 consoles preparing for vscs. The equipment is installed 3 position per mid-shift. The vscs equipment is not operational at this time. The new equipment has caused a major change in sector confign, including lighting, space available in strip bays, visibility of the radar (mostly when standing as handoff controller), 'head-strike' hazard from new consoles, and communications problems resulting from disturbing the old 'caa' equipment. Specifically: 1) lighting -- lower than old setup. Causes shadows making some strips at bottom of the bay nearly unreadable. 2) space in strip bays -- about the same on d-side, but more difficult to utilize. On the a- side, standing makes reaching the bays extremely difficult, as well as a problem with hitting your head on the protruding consoles above. Reduced bay space and a recessed printer make operating this position difficult. 3) visibility of radar -- protruding overhead consoles block 1/3 of the top of radar from view when standing. Also, a danger of a 'head strike.' other-than-at-the-sector lighting cause a shadow across the display. 4) 'head strike' (also see #2) -- to avoid hitting your head, bending is required. This causes back strain. Sitting is an option, but the workload demands differently. The potential for injury is extreme. 5) 'caa' equipment -- yes, civil aeronautic administration. The reconfign of the sectors, and movement of this old equipment had damaged the fragile wiring, etc. Potential communication failures are looming.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MODIFICATION OF ARTCC M-1 CONSOLES CAUSE CTLR CONCERN OVER PHYSICAL HAZARD.

Narrative: BEGINNING FEB/XX/95, THE FAA BEGAN MODIFICATIONS OF THE M-1 CONSOLES PREPARING FOR VSCS. THE EQUIP IS INSTALLED 3 POS PER MID-SHIFT. THE VSCS EQUIP IS NOT OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME. THE NEW EQUIP HAS CAUSED A MAJOR CHANGE IN SECTOR CONFIGN, INCLUDING LIGHTING, SPACE AVAILABLE IN STRIP BAYS, VISIBILITY OF THE RADAR (MOSTLY WHEN STANDING AS HDOF CTLR), 'HEAD-STRIKE' HAZARD FROM NEW CONSOLES, AND COMS PROBS RESULTING FROM DISTURBING THE OLD 'CAA' EQUIP. SPECIFICALLY: 1) LIGHTING -- LOWER THAN OLD SETUP. CAUSES SHADOWS MAKING SOME STRIPS AT BOTTOM OF THE BAY NEARLY UNREADABLE. 2) SPACE IN STRIP BAYS -- ABOUT THE SAME ON D-SIDE, BUT MORE DIFFICULT TO UTILIZE. ON THE A- SIDE, STANDING MAKES REACHING THE BAYS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, AS WELL AS A PROB WITH HITTING YOUR HEAD ON THE PROTRUDING CONSOLES ABOVE. REDUCED BAY SPACE AND A RECESSED PRINTER MAKE OPERATING THIS POS DIFFICULT. 3) VISIBILITY OF RADAR -- PROTRUDING OVERHEAD CONSOLES BLOCK 1/3 OF THE TOP OF RADAR FROM VIEW WHEN STANDING. ALSO, A DANGER OF A 'HEAD STRIKE.' OTHER-THAN-AT-THE-SECTOR LIGHTING CAUSE A SHADOW ACROSS THE DISPLAY. 4) 'HEAD STRIKE' (ALSO SEE #2) -- TO AVOID HITTING YOUR HEAD, BENDING IS REQUIRED. THIS CAUSES BACK STRAIN. SITTING IS AN OPTION, BUT THE WORKLOAD DEMANDS DIFFERENTLY. THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IS EXTREME. 5) 'CAA' EQUIPMENT -- YES, CIVIL AERONAUTIC ADMINISTRATION. THE RECONFIGN OF THE SECTORS, AND MOVEMENT OF THIS OLD EQUIP HAD DAMAGED THE FRAGILE WIRING, ETC. POTENTIAL COM FAILURES ARE LOOMING.

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.