Narrative:

The supervisors here at charleston have been ordering controllers on the XA30-XJ30 shift to leave the radar position walk to the other side of the room with your back to the radar scope and count traffic. This is very much like what happened in lex with the comair crash. The traffic count in the past has always been done the next day by the supervisor. This is a very dangerous way to operate and is an accident waiting to happen. For some unknown reason the supervisors do not seem to care about safety -- just having someone else do their job for them. Hopefully; they will stop the dangerous practice before someone is hurt or hilled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHS CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEW DUTY ASSIGNMENTS FOR CTLR'S THAT REQUIRE MOVEMENT(S) AWAY FROM THE RADAR DISPLAYS.

Narrative: THE SUPVRS HERE AT CHARLESTON HAVE BEEN ORDERING CTLRS ON THE XA30-XJ30 SHIFT TO LEAVE THE RADAR POS WALK TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM WITH YOUR BACK TO THE RADAR SCOPE AND COUNT TFC. THIS IS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN LEX WITH THE COMAIR CRASH. THE TFC COUNT IN THE PAST HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE THE NEXT DAY BY THE SUPVR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS WAY TO OPERATE AND IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THE SUPVRS DO NOT SEEM TO CARE ABOUT SAFETY -- JUST HAVING SOMEONE ELSE DO THEIR JOB FOR THEM. HOPEFULLY; THEY WILL STOP THE DANGEROUS PRACTICE BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR HILLED.

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.