ATC equipment problem physical facility new tower has noxious fumes resulting in controller illness ...

Attributes
ACN	223117
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dal
State Reference	TX
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	223117
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We have a safety hazard which has existed for at least 2 months since moving into our new facility. On several occasions there has been a sewer gas smell in the tower cabin attendant. On more than one occasion there have been complaints of headaches and nausea, in some cases resulting in sick leave. In addition to the sewer gas smell there is a problem with jet fuel fumes in the tower cabin attendant. There have been several complaints of headache, nausea and light headedness. These all occur while persons are working position. It has been almost 2 months since this was brought to the attention of the facility manager. Airways facilities and the contractor have gotten involved and it was brought up during an osha walk through. At this time the problem still has not been addressed and I continue to hear 'we're working on it.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter stated the facility was dal tower. The reporter stated the FAA administrator hot line was called and the fume problem was fixed. Reporter further stated controller's are still getting sick on duty (headache) but facility management refuses to have an air quality check made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROBLEM PHYSICAL FACILITY NEW TWR HAS NOXIOUS FUMES RESULTING IN CTLR ILLNESS WHILE ON DUTY.

Narrative: WE HAVE A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH HAS EXISTED FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS SINCE MOVING INTO OUR NEW FACILITY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THERE HAS BEEN A SEWER GAS SMELL IN THE TWR CAB. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS OF HEADACHES AND NAUSEA, IN SOME CASES RESULTING IN SICK LEAVE. IN ADDITION TO THE SEWER GAS SMELL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH JET FUEL FUMES IN THE TWR CAB. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF HEADACHE, NAUSEA AND LIGHT HEADEDNESS. THESE ALL OCCUR WHILE PERSONS ARE WORKING POS. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 2 MONTHS SINCE THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE FACILITY MGR. AIRWAYS FACILITIES AND THE CONTRACTOR HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED AND IT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING AN OSHA WALK THROUGH. AT THIS TIME THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AND I CONTINUE TO HEAR 'WE'RE WORKING ON IT.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATED THE FACILITY WAS DAL TWR. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR HOT LINE WAS CALLED AND THE FUME PROBLEM WAS FIXED. RPTR FURTHER STATED CTLR'S ARE STILL GETTING SICK ON DUTY (HEADACHE) BUT FACILITY MGMNT REFUSES TO HAVE AN AIR QUALITY CHK MADE.

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.

ATC equipment problem physical facility new tower has noxious fumes resulting in controller illness while on duty.