Center radar equipment problem due to ambient lighting too bright in control room.

Attributes
ACN	246886
Time
Date	199307
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zlc
State Reference	UT
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	246886
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On or about jul/fri/93, the ambient light in the control room was turned up to an unacceptably high level. The brightness of these lights forced the controllers to turn up the radar scope lights to an absurd level just to be seen. The increased intensity and glare causes unwanted fatigue and eye strain. It also would be a causal factor should an operational error occur. The flying public's safety and the well being of the controller workforce was totally disregarded when the lights were turned up so brightly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTR RADAR EQUIP PROB DUE TO AMBIENT LIGHTING TOO BRIGHT IN CTL ROOM.

Narrative: ON OR ABOUT JUL/FRI/93, THE AMBIENT LIGHT IN THE CTL ROOM WAS TURNED UP TO AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH LEVEL. THE BRIGHTNESS OF THESE LIGHTS FORCED THE CTLRS TO TURN UP THE RADAR SCOPE LIGHTS TO AN ABSURD LEVEL JUST TO BE SEEN. THE INCREASED INTENSITY AND GLARE CAUSES UNWANTED FATIGUE AND EYE STRAIN. IT ALSO WOULD BE A CAUSAL FACTOR SHOULD AN OPERATIONAL ERROR OCCUR. THE FLYING PUBLIC'S SAFETY AND THE WELL BEING OF THE CTLR WORKFORCE WAS TOTALLY DISREGARDED WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED UP SO BRIGHTLY.

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.