Narrative:

At approximately XA20L, I was working all position in waco TRACON, when I was overcome with fumes from an adhesive agent being applied downstairs within the airport terminal. I was working approximately 7-8 aircraft, 2 or 3 were on approach for landing, along with 4-5 overflts. I do not recall how many VFR aircraft I was working, possibly 3-4. I became lightheaded, contacted the controller in charge upstairs to contact airport manager of the unsafe situation. In turn, I advised staff personnel that was passing through to contact our manager and report the situation. This occurrence, or these fumes continued for approximately 8-10 mins before venting out on their own. Through determined effort, I was able to work through this situation without compromising the safety of the aircraft under my control. Reflecting back on this occurrence, the flying public and myself were put at risk without warning. This situation could have been a nightmare. No advance notification was made and no steps were taken for the evacuate/evacuation of these intoxicating fumes. For a period of approximately 15 mins, safety was compromised. The primary cause of this situation is the poor ventilation throughout the facility. Everything vents up, rather than out. The facility itself is approximately 30-40 yrs old. A secondary cause was the ineptness of airport management to forewarn air traffic of the construction, and the possibility of the environment succumbing to these fumes, as well as no alternative plan to vent these dangerous fumes elsewhere. The primary reason for this report is that this is only the beginning. Within the next couple of yrs, waco will be completely remodeling their terminal building. Therefore, exposure to chemical fumes, noise, etc, by ATC personnel is apparent. It's going to happen! How we approach this is critical.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR WORKING ALL POS IN THE TRACON WAS OVERCOME BY ADHESIVE FUMES FROM CONSTRUCTION BEING DONE IN THE ARPT TERMINAL BUILDING. NO FOREWARNING AND APPARENTLY NO EXTRA VENTILATION PROVIDED TO ELIMINATE THESE FUMES. RPTR SAYS IT IS A SAFETY FACTOR.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA20L, I WAS WORKING ALL POS IN WACO TRACON, WHEN I WAS OVERCOME WITH FUMES FROM AN ADHESIVE AGENT BEING APPLIED DOWNSTAIRS WITHIN THE ARPT TERMINAL. I WAS WORKING APPROX 7-8 ACFT, 2 OR 3 WERE ON APCH FOR LNDG, ALONG WITH 4-5 OVERFLTS. I DO NOT RECALL HOW MANY VFR ACFT I WAS WORKING, POSSIBLY 3-4. I BECAME LIGHTHEADED, CONTACTED THE CIC UPSTAIRS TO CONTACT ARPT MGR OF THE UNSAFE SIT. IN TURN, I ADVISED STAFF PERSONNEL THAT WAS PASSING THROUGH TO CONTACT OUR MGR AND RPT THE SIT. THIS OCCURRENCE, OR THESE FUMES CONTINUED FOR APPROX 8-10 MINS BEFORE VENTING OUT ON THEIR OWN. THROUGH DETERMINED EFFORT, I WAS ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS SIT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT UNDER MY CTL. REFLECTING BACK ON THIS OCCURRENCE, THE FLYING PUBLIC AND MYSELF WERE PUT AT RISK WITHOUT WARNING. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN A NIGHTMARE. NO ADVANCE NOTIFICATION WAS MADE AND NO STEPS WERE TAKEN FOR THE EVAC OF THESE INTOXICATING FUMES. FOR A PERIOD OF APPROX 15 MINS, SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS SIT IS THE POOR VENTILATION THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. EVERYTHING VENTS UP, RATHER THAN OUT. THE FACILITY ITSELF IS APPROX 30-40 YRS OLD. A SECONDARY CAUSE WAS THE INEPTNESS OF ARPT MGMNT TO FOREWARN AIR TFC OF THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT SUCCUMBING TO THESE FUMES, AS WELL AS NO ALTERNATIVE PLAN TO VENT THESE DANGEROUS FUMES ELSEWHERE. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS RPT IS THAT THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YRS, WACO WILL BE COMPLETELY REMODELING THEIR TERMINAL BUILDING. THEREFORE, EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL FUMES, NOISE, ETC, BY ATC PERSONNEL IS APPARENT. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! HOW WE APCH THIS IS CRITICAL.

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.