Phl ground control receives electrical shock through headset.

Attributes
ACN	495807
Time
Date	200012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl.tower
State Reference	PA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	495807
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : phl.tower

Narrative:

While I was working ground control, I received an electrical shock from my ear piece of my headset. A loud cracking sound was heard in the tower by all personnel. New etvs equipment was recently installed in our facility. I don't know whether this had anything to do with the event or not. At first I had no effects from the event, then about 40 mins later I started to get a severe headache and neck pain. I have received medical treatment for this and am still experiencing sleeplessness. This event was very serious and could have been even worse if at the time of it I was busy or needed to use my frequency to separate aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL GND CTL RECEIVES ELECTRICAL SHOCK THROUGH HEADSET.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS WORKING GND CTL, I RECEIVED AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK FROM MY EAR PIECE OF MY HEADSET. A LOUD CRACKING SOUND WAS HEARD IN THE TWR BY ALL PERSONNEL. NEW ETVS EQUIP WAS RECENTLY INSTALLED IN OUR FACILITY. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE EVENT OR NOT. AT FIRST I HAD NO EFFECTS FROM THE EVENT, THEN ABOUT 40 MINS LATER I STARTED TO GET A SEVERE HEADACHE AND NECK PAIN. I HAVE RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THIS AND AM STILL EXPERIENCING SLEEPLESSNESS. THIS EVENT WAS VERY SERIOUS AND COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE IF AT THE TIME OF IT I WAS BUSY OR NEEDED TO USE MY FREQ TO SEPARATE ACFT.

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.