ZOB controller expressed concern regarding supervisor's distraction on the control room floor as the...

Narrative:

First line supervisor was attempting to have controller look at a list of controller in charge items (duties); asking that I initial the ones (items) that I was familiar with. These type of actions by the supervisor constitute administrative duties which are an unnecessary distraction for a controller signed into a radar sector (high altitude). Furthermore; this list is a contentious issue at present. This supervisor continued around the control room making requests. As the control room became noisier due to conversation(south) associated with the requests; I was relieved from radar position bki. I observed the supervisor in a somewhat intense conversation with my relieving controller as I was leaving. The supervisor could see the controller was not paying attention to traffic. I decided to ask the area manager to go see this. I sincerely worried the supervisor was going to cause a loss of separation that day. The supervisor needs to do administrative-type work after seeing to it that controllers are away from radar scopes. It was very difficult for me to decide that I had to call the supervisor's boss down to stop the disruptive behavior!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING SUPVR'S DISTR ON THE CTL ROOM FLOOR AS THE SUPVR WAS QUESTIONING CTLRS ON POS.

Narrative: FIRST LINE SUPVR WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAVE CTLR LOOK AT A LIST OF CIC ITEMS (DUTIES); ASKING THAT I INITIAL THE ONES (ITEMS) THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH. THESE TYPE OF ACTIONS BY THE SUPVR CONSTITUTE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES WHICH ARE AN UNNECESSARY DISTR FOR A CTLR SIGNED INTO A RADAR SECTOR (HIGH ALT). FURTHERMORE; THIS LIST IS A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE AT PRESENT. THIS SUPVR CONTINUED AROUND THE CTL ROOM MAKING REQUESTS. AS THE CTL ROOM BECAME NOISIER DUE TO CONVERSATION(S) ASSOCIATED WITH THE REQUESTS; I WAS RELIEVED FROM RADAR POS BKI. I OBSERVED THE SUPVR IN A SOMEWHAT INTENSE CONVERSATION WITH MY RELIEVING CTLR AS I WAS LEAVING. THE SUPVR COULD SEE THE CTLR WAS NOT PAYING ATTN TO TFC. I DECIDED TO ASK THE AREA MGR TO GO SEE THIS. I SINCERELY WORRIED THE SUPVR WAS GOING TO CAUSE A LOSS OF SEPARATION THAT DAY. THE SUPVR NEEDS TO DO ADMINISTRATIVE-TYPE WORK AFTER SEEING TO IT THAT CTLRS ARE AWAY FROM RADAR SCOPES. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DECIDE THAT I HAD TO CALL THE SUPVR'S BOSS DOWN TO STOP THE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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	693470
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 22
ASRS Report	693470
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

ZOB controller expressed concern regarding supervisor's distraction on the control room floor as the supervisor was questioning controllers on position.