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ATC Facilities Pose Health Risks

Air Safety Week, July 30, 2007

U.S. air traffic controllers told lawmakers recently that poor maintenance of their deteriorating work sites is harming the health of the nation's controller workforce and endangering the flying public.

The issue was aired during a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation at which the leadership of the controllers union cited problems outlined in a survey conducted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) of the nation's 314 airport towers and other ATC facilities operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said "the strains on our ATC system are becoming more and more apparent this busy summer travel season, and it is essential that we continue to operate the current system safely and efficiently, while continuing to work diligently toward the transition to a Next Generation (NextGen) ATC system.

"By FAA;s own admission, terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facilities, airport towers and enroute ATC facilities are relatively old and overall in fair to poor conditions. Data collected on facility conditions paint a picture of numerous buildings with severe maintenance problems," Oberstar added.

There is a substantial maintenance backlog for repair of FAA facilities. Oberstar said $250-$350 million in maintenance backlog exists, but the FAA's annual budget for facility maintenance and improvements for the last year and this year totaled only $60 million each year. At this rate of spending, there will be an ever increasing maintenance shortfall. "The implications of this growing maintenance backlog is disturbing," said the veteran U.S. lawmaker.

Oberstar said the problems at the 40-year-old facilities include roof leaks, mold, animal and insect infestation, poor air quality, insufficient heat, air conditioning and ventilation and asbestos.

Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) said "it is alarming and disturbing that we allow our facilities to deteriorate to this extent. No one should have to work in these conditions. It is unacceptable. I question whether the FAA has a comprehensive strategy to effectively manage the replacement, repair, and modernization of its air traffic control facilities and equipment and whether sufficient funds are being used to carry out these important health and safety functions," Constello added.

In testimony, NATCA President Patrick Forrey said "the maintenance and preservation of the FAA's aging air traffic control facilities, which house the employees who operate and maintain the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS), have not been a priority for the FAA. The resulting environmental conditions have jeopardized the safety of workers, as well as the effectiveness of the equipment they use - both of which can negatively impact the safety of the air traffic system. Specifically, employees have been forced to work in conditions that are sometimes unsafe, or conditions that impede the employees' ability to perform their jobs safely. In many cases, NATCA believes that the conditions are in violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards. "

He continued: "Earlier this year, several examples of unacceptable worker conditions came to light when a number of incidents at FAA facilities interrupted operations and controllers became ill after noxious fumes entered work areas. Carbon monoxide affected controllers at the New York TRACON in April, and the same problem occurred at the Washington Dulles tower in May. Controllers and other employees at facilities in Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, and Eugene, OR. also faced a similar scenario when unidentified "fumes" entered the work area. In each of these instances, the employees felt the FAA response did not match their concerns. These incidents come on the heels of a longstanding mold problem at Detroit Tower that has seriously injured several employees over the past two years. "

The control tower at the airport in Grand Rapids, MI suffers from bacteria contamination, water leaks and possible mold contamination while "the Atlanta Center has had water issues for a number of years. In some instances, it is so bad that controllers have had to hold an umbrella over their radar scopes in order to see the planes and hope they don't get electrocuted while working," said Forrey.

"We recognize that we have a backlog of maintenance and repair," said Bruce Johnson, the FAA's vice president of terminal services. "We are taking steps to reduce the backlog....We are making headway on the backlog and will continue to do so over the coming years. Finally, as we transition into NextGen, we are developing individual facility life-cycle plans, which will allow us to be more proactive in planning for sustaining our facilities over their lifespans," Johnson added.

Government Industry

ATC Facilities Pose Health Risks

Air Safety Week, July 30, 2007

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