TRACON radar controller complaint about dust and lack of precaution taken when ceiling tiles replace...

Narrative:

On oct/wed/97, contractors began replacing ceiling tiles in the operational control room at the new york TRACON. While the facility was notified about this, we were not notified that these were fiberglas ceiling tiles. Further, I was personally given assurance that, if needed, plastic sheets would be used to contain dust and debris, and that they would if necessary, 'vacuum as they go.' no such protection was attempted. Face mask were made available, but the label on their box said: 'warning: this mask will not protect your lungs.' the masks did not protect the eyes. As controllers began working, they began experiencing burning sensations in their eyes and throats, nausea, and dizziness. Approximately 75% of the controllers had to leave the operations room and could not return for the rest of the shift. Those controllers who stayed had to use 'air hoods,' which fully enclosed the controller's head and pumped in air purified by a 'hepa' filter. During the period where controllers were unable to return to the operational area, except when wearing the air hood, staff and management personnel were used to attempt to keep traffic moving. During this period, there were 2 operrors, apparently caused by traffic management unit personnel attempting to control more traffic than was prudent based on the conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON RADAR CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT DUST AND LACK OF PRECAUTION TAKEN WHEN CEILING TILES REPLACED IN THE TRACON. SOME CTLRS LEFT THE CTL ROOM AND SUPVRS AND SOME CTLRS ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE OP GOING. RPTR ALLEGES 2 OPERRORS OCCURRED DURING THIS PERIOD.

Narrative: ON OCT/WED/97, CONTRACTORS BEGAN REPLACING CEILING TILES IN THE OPERATIONAL CTL ROOM AT THE NEW YORK TRACON. WHILE THE FACILITY WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS, WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED THAT THESE WERE FIBERGLAS CEILING TILES. FURTHER, I WAS PERSONALLY GIVEN ASSURANCE THAT, IF NEEDED, PLASTIC SHEETS WOULD BE USED TO CONTAIN DUST AND DEBRIS, AND THAT THEY WOULD IF NECESSARY, 'VACUUM AS THEY GO.' NO SUCH PROTECTION WAS ATTEMPTED. FACE MASK WERE MADE AVAILABLE, BUT THE LABEL ON THEIR BOX SAID: 'WARNING: THIS MASK WILL NOT PROTECT YOUR LUNGS.' THE MASKS DID NOT PROTECT THE EYES. AS CTLRS BEGAN WORKING, THEY BEGAN EXPERIENCING BURNING SENSATIONS IN THEIR EYES AND THROATS, NAUSEA, AND DIZZINESS. APPROX 75% OF THE CTLRS HAD TO LEAVE THE OPS ROOM AND COULD NOT RETURN FOR THE REST OF THE SHIFT. THOSE CTLRS WHO STAYED HAD TO USE 'AIR HOODS,' WHICH FULLY ENCLOSED THE CTLR'S HEAD AND PUMPED IN AIR PURIFIED BY A 'HEPA' FILTER. DURING THE PERIOD WHERE CTLRS WERE UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE OPERATIONAL AREA, EXCEPT WHEN WEARING THE AIR HOOD, STAFF AND MGMNT PERSONNEL WERE USED TO ATTEMPT TO KEEP TFC MOVING. DURING THIS PERIOD, THERE WERE 2 OPERRORS, APPARENTLY CAUSED BY TFC MGMNT UNIT PERSONNEL ATTEMPTING TO CTL MORE TFC THAN WAS PRUDENT BASED ON THE CONDITIONS.

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.

Attributes
ACN	382909
Time
Date	199710
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller radar : 7 flight time total : 450
ASRS Report	382909
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

TRACON radar controller complaint about dust and lack of precaution taken when ceiling tiles replaced in the TRACON. Some controllers left the control room and supervisors and some controllers attempted to keep the operation going. Reporter alleges 2 operrors occurred during this period.