Letter to Hon. John J. "Jimmy" Duncan
Charles E. Kuenen, Ranch Murietta AFSS
NOTE: The following is the body of a letter sent by Chuck Kuenen to several Congres-sional Representatives. I have also included the informational article that accompanied it. Copies of this letter were also sent to Representatives John Doolittle, Gary G. Miller, Steven T. Kuykendall, Juanita Millender-McDonald, Ellen O. Tauscher, and Bob Filner.
Dear Representative Duncan:
I work as an Air Traffic Control Specialist (Station) at Rancho Murietta Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS). On behalf of the professional men and women in Flight Serv-ice, many of who reside in your district, I am writing to ask your support to insist that the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) recognize us as invaluable employees and that the FAA work with the federal mediator during impasse meetings to agree to a fair labor contract and an equitable pay system.
It seems that the FAA doesn't value us as members of the air traffic control team and has no intention of entertaining any meaningful discussion on reclassification. Quite the contrary, the FAA only knows one tune, 5.5% over 5 years, all accomplished through workforce attrition and basically all of it paid in the last two years; this is unacceptable. Our counterparts in the enroute and terminal options have been enjoying a substantial pay-raise resulting from a new pay system, not Core Compensation, and a new labor contract of over a year.
The FAA's network of Flight Service Stations has existed for 55 years, serving general aviation, air carriers, and the military with weather briefings, flight planning, search and rescue, in-flight communications, and emergency services. Over the past 15 years, more than 350 stations were consolidated into 61 automated facilities. This in turn has created a demand for higher productivity to avoid any adverse impact on aviation safety. Further cuts to existing automated facilities or reduction in services will mean aviation safety will ultimately suffer.
General Aviation (GA) has clearly expressed their desire to maintain and modernize Flight Service through two distinct forums, the General Aviation Weather Joint Safety Analysis Team and the General Aviation User's Summit. In their collective opinion, Flight Service is essential if they are to successfully improve flight safety and reduce accidents (weather is the second largest factor in GA accidents). Representatives from the Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA); National Business Aviation Asso-ciation (NBAA); Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA); the Ninety-Nines; General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA); and Small Aircraft Manufacturers Associa-tion (SAMA), have made specific recommendations that would strengthen the Agency's ability to meet immediate and future customer needs as part of Vice-President Gore's "Safer Skies" initiative.
Flight Service Stations provide valuable safety related services to pilots. General avia-tion aircraft fly over half the air miles flown and they service 100 per cent of the nation's airports. In addition, 70 per cent of GA activity is business related which means their success is extremely important to our economy. Instead of seeking ways to eliminate the AFSS network, the FAA should recognize General Aviation's desires to strengthen Flight Service and work with union representative (National Association of Air Traffic Specialists/NAATS) to achieve both a fair labor contract and a new pay system.
Thank you for your continued support. On behalf of the Flight Service Specialists, I wish to invite you or any members of your staff to visit the local automated facility and I would be more than happy to arrange it for you. Attached is a paper describing our plight with the FAA in a little more detail.
- 1.
Fairbanks AFSS, AK
- 2.
Juneau AFSS, AK
- 3.
Kenai AFSS, AK
- A.
Dillingham FSS, AK
- B.
Homer FSS, AK
- C.
Ketchikan FSS, AK
- D.
Palmer FSS, AK
- E.
Sitka FSS, AK
- F.
Talkeetna FSS, AK
- 4.
Columbia AFSS, MO
- 5.
Columbus AFSS, NE
- 6.
Fort Dodge AFSS, IA
- 7.
St. Louis AFSS, MO
- 8.
Wichita AFSS, KS
- 9.
Altoona AFSS, PA
- 10.
Buffalo AFSS, NY
- 11.
Elkins AFSS, WV
- 12.
Islip AFSS, NY
- 13.
Leesburg AFSS, VA
- 14.
Millville AFSS, NJ
- 15.
Williamsport AFSS, PA
- 16.
Cleveland AFSS, OH
- 17.
Dayton AFSS, OH
- 18.
Grand Forks AFSS, ND
- 19.
Green Bay AFSS, WI
- 20.
Huron AFSS, SD
- 21.
Kankakee AFSS, IL
- 22.
Terre Haute AFSS, IN
- 23.
Lansing AFSS, MI
- 24.
Princeton AFSS, MN
- 25.
Bangor AFSS, ME
- 26.
Bridgeport AFSS, CT
- 27.
Burlington AFSS, VT
- 28.
Boise AFSS, ID
- 29.
Casper AFSS, WY
- 30.
Cedar City AFSS, UT
- 31.
Denver AFSS, CO
- 32.
Great Falls AFSS, MT
- 33.
McMinnville AFSS, OR
- 34.
Seattle AFSS, WA
- 35.
Anderson AFSS, SC
- 36.
Anniston AFSS, AL
- 37. Gainesville AFSS, FL
- 38. Greenwood AFSS, MS
- 39. Jackson AFSS, TN
- 40. Louisville AFSS, TN
- 41. Macon AFSS, GA
- 42. Miami AFSS, FL
- 43. Nashville AFSS, TN
- 44. Raleigh AFSS, NC
- 45. San Juan AFSS, PR
- 46. St. Petersburg AFSS, FL
- 47.
Albuquerque AFSS, NM
- 48.
Conroe AFSS, TX
- 49.
De Ridder AFSS, LA
- 50.
Fort Worth AFSS, TX
- 51.
Jonesboro AFSS, AR
- 52.
Mc Alester AFSS, OK
- 53.
San Angelo AFSS, TX
- 54.
Hawthorne AFSS, CA
- 55.
Honolulu AFSS, HA
- 56.
Oakland AFSS, CA
- 57.
Prescott AFSS, AZ
- 58.
Rancho Murietta AFSS, CA
- 59.
Reno AFSS, NV
- 60.
Riverside AFSS, CA
- 61.
San Diego AFSS, CA
Several
factors contribute to this growing crisis.
First, the work force is already about 300 controllers below the safe
minimum. Second, replacements are not easily found. Third, both
instructors and training slots are severely limited at the FAA Academy,
creating a bottleneck limiting the rate at which trainees can receive their
mandatory training to become controllers.
Fourth, given the three years needed to train a journeyman controller,
about 450 trainees must be in the pipeline just to offset annual attrition.
At least 300 more must be hired and trained over the same period to
restore safety to the system. Yet, the FAA has hired virtually no controllers
into the Flight Service in the last ten years.
Given
the importance and complexity of this problem, one would expect the FAA to
have some solution in mind. Yet, to date the FAA has not presented a plan -
credible or not - to address even the anticipated loss of experienced senior
controllers, as retirements occur. Clearly,
the Flight Service will lose labor, ability, institutional knowledge and
experience as senior controllers retire, even if the numbers are replaced. The
shortage of controllers is now acute.
While
many controllers leave the ranks to avoid job-related stress or to take earned
retirement -- normal attrition -- others are transferred into management or
supervisory positions, or temporarily detailed into non-controller positions.
FAA management has not recognized the effects of steadily diminishing
the controller work force below acceptable minimums.
The
steady shrinkage in the number of Flight Service controllers has an obvious
impact on controller morale. As
the Flight Service system depends on fewer and fewer controllers to do the
same jobs, the burdens assigned to those who remain become greater, and the
stress of this employment increases. Meanwhile, the opportunity to take
ordinary paid leave or time off diminishes. Over time, these factors increase
the possibility of errors of judgment in this stress-filled and exacting
occupation, where an error of judgment can quickly lead to fatalities,
sometimes counted in the hundreds. As
the number of Flight Service controllers has decreased, the number of general
aviation and commercial aviation flights has steadily increased, multiplying
the pressures, the number of judgments required by the controllers who remain
on the job, and the opportunity for accidents to happen.
- Shortage
of Flight Service Air Traffic Controllers by Facility,
- as
of June 2, 1998:
|
Region
Facility and Location
|
Current
Staffing
|
Minimum
Needed
|
Shortage
|
|
Alaska
*
|
193
|
201
|
8
|
|
1.
Fairbanks AFSS
|
64
|
66
|
2
|
|
2. Juneau
AFSS
|
24
|
27
|
3
|
|
3. Kenai
AFSS
|
86
|
88
|
2
|
|
A. Homer FSS
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
|
B. Ketchikan FSS
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
|
C.
Palmer FSS
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
|
D. Sitka FSS
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
|
E.
Talkeetna FSS
|
3
|
2
|
-1
|
|
*part-time/seasonal
FSS not shown
|
|
|
|
|
Central
|
164
|
187
|
23
|
|
4.
Columbia AFSS, MO
|
48
|
52
|
4
|
|
5.
Columbus AFSS, NE
|
22
|
26
|
4
|
|
6. Fort
Dodge AFSS, IA
|
31
|
36
|
5
|
|
7. St.
Louis AFSS, MO
|
34
|
37
|
3
|
|
8. Wichita
AFSS, KS
|
29
|
36
|
7
|
|
Eastern
|
285
|
311
|
26
|
|
9. Altoona
AFSS, PA
|
48
|
48
|
0
|
|
10.
Buffalo AFSS, NY
|
30
|
33
|
3
|
|
11. Elkins
AFSS, WV
|
28
|
31
|
3
|
|
12. Islip
AFSS, NY
|
39
|
44
|
5
|
|
13.
Leesburg AFSS, VA
|
59
|
63
|
4
|
|
14.
Millville AFSS, NJ
|
35
|
44
|
9
|
|
15.
Williamsport AFSS, PA
|
46
|
48
|
2
|
|
Great
Lakes
|
389
|
439
|
50
|
|
16.
Cleveland AFSS, OH
|
42
|
58
|
16
|
|
17. Dayton
AFSS, OH
|
41
|
43
|
2
|
|
18. Grand
Forks AFSS, ND
|
26
|
26
|
0
|
|
19. Green
Bay AFSS, WI
|
50
|
52
|
2
|
|
20. Huron
AFSS, SD
|
22
|
22
|
0
|
|
21.
Kanakee AFSS, IL
|
52
|
60
|
8
|
|
22.
Lansing AFSS, MI
|
56
|
68
|
12
|
|
23.
Princeton AFSS, MN
|
52
|
54
|
2
|
|
24. Terre
Haute AFSS, IN
|
48
|
56
|
8
|
|
New
England
|
105
|
129
|
24
|
|
25. Bangor
AFSS, ME
|
28
|
32
|
4
|
|
26.
Bridgeport AFSS, CT
|
47
|
61
|
14
|
|
27.
Burlington AFSS, VT
|
30
|
36
|
6
|
|
Northwest
Mountain
|
227
|
245
|
18
|
|
28. Boise
AFSS, ID
|
24
|
24
|
0
|
|
29. Casper
AFSS, WY
|
23
|
24
|
1
|
|
30. Cedar
City AFSS, UT
|
29
|
32
|
3
|
|
31. Denver
AFSS, CO
|
46
|
51
|
5
|
|
32. Great
Falls AFSS, MT
|
31
|
21
|
-10
|
|
33. Mc
Minnville AFSS, OR
|
25
|
35
|
10
|
|
34.
Seattle AFSS, WA
|
49
|
58
|
9
|
|
Southern
|
424
|
534
|
90
|
|
35.
Anderson AFSS, SC
|
38
|
46
|
8
|
|
36.
Anniston AFSS, AL
|
35
|
42
|
7
|
|
37.
Gainesville AFSS, FL
|
38
|
50
|
12
|
|
38.
Greenwood AFSS, MS
|
19
|
26
|
7
|
|
39.
Jackson AFSS, TN
|
23
|
28
|
5
|
|
40.
Louisville AFSS, KY
|
24
|
32
|
8
|
|
41. Macon
AFSS, GA
|
43
|
50
|
7
|
|
42. Miami
AFSS, FL
|
57
|
65
|
8
|
|
43.
Nashville AFSS, TN
|
30
|
40
|
10
|
|
44.
Raleigh AFSS, NC
|
40
|
50
|
10
|
|
45. San
Juan AFSS, PR
|
14
|
24
|
10
|
|
46. St.
Petersburg AFSS, FL
|
63
|
68
|
5
|
|
Southwest
|
282
|
319
|
37
|
|
47.
Albuquerque AFSS, NM
|
40
|
40
|
0
|
|
48. Conroe
AFSS, TX
|
39
|
45
|
6
|
|
49. De
Ridder AFSS, LA
|
25
|
35
|
10
|
|
50. Fort
Worth AFSS, TX
|
70
|
72
|
2
|
|
51.
Jonesboro AFSS, AR
|
33
|
37
|
4
|
|
52. Mc
Alester AFSS, OK
|
39
|
42
|
3
|
|
53. San
Angelo AFSS, TX
|
36
|
48
|
12
|
|
Western
Pacific
|
277
|
295
|
18
|
|
54.
Hawthorne AFSS, CA
|
35
|
38
|
3
|
|
55.
Honolulu AFSS, HI
|
19
|
23
|
4
|
|
56.
Oakland AFSS, CA
|
40
|
47
|
7
|
|
57.
Prescott AFSS, AZ
|
46
|
48
|
2
|
|
58.
Rancho
Murieta AFSS, CA
|
37
|
37
|
0
|
|
59. Reno
AFSS, NV
|
30
|
30
|
0
|
|
60.
Riverside AFSS, CA
|
39
|
41
|
2
|
|
61. San
Diego AFSS, CA
|
31
|
31
|
0
|
|
|
Current
Staffing
|
Minimum
Needed
|
Shortage
|
|
TOTALS
|
2,346
|
2,660
|
314
|
|
Year:
|
Controllers
(GS-2152)
|
Supervisory,
Manager, Other Personnel
|
Totals
|
|
81
|
3576
|
929
|
4505
|
|
82
|
3525
|
797
|
4322
|
|
83
|
3508
|
836
|
4344
|
|
84
|
3499
|
824
|
4323
|
|
85*
|
*
|
*
|
4423
|
|
86*
|
*
|
*
|
4361
|
|
87
|
3199
|
1098
|
4217
|
|
88
|
3019
|
1113
|
4132
|
|
89
|
3041
|
1075
|
4116
|
|
90
|
3037
|
1113
|
4150
|
|
91
|
3030
|
1137
|
4167
|
|
92
|
3006
|
1111
|
4117
|
|
93
|
2883
|
1076
|
3959
|
|
94
|
2659
|
951
|
3610
|
|
95
|
2579
|
923
|
3502
|
|
Change 81-95
|
(997)
|
(6)
|
(1003)
|
Back to Table of Contents
NAATS
Convention 2000
NAATS
CONVENTION
2000
SAN DIEGO, CA
NOV. 15-16, 2000
- The Handlery
- Hotel & Resort
FACREP TRAINING
NOV. 14TH
- Reservations: 619-298-0511/800-676-6567 (M-F 8-5)
- Refer to NAATS meeting for special group rate of
$89.00
- By Oct 12, 2000
Back to Table of Contents
"Friends/Partners in Aviation Weather" Forum
Larry Burdick, Public Relations Team Chair
The following is a synopsis of the meeting:
Paul Fiduccia, President - Small Aircraft Manufacturer's Association (SAMA) kept a task sheet to track progress of action items.
NAATS committed to the following three (3) tasks:
#2. What weather products do we still use / don't use?
#5. ASOS failures and reporting procedures for flight service.
#9. PIREP distribution practices -- are all PIREP(s) entered into the system by FSS controllers / or getting to FSS from tower/center?
Problems Identified by NAATS:
1. Aviation weather product improvements are not getting to flight service. Many of the FAA's weather R&D and advanced systems are going into only towers and centers, not flight service.
2. Great technology is available for weather but instead of talk, we need action from the FAA. Some systems or products excluded from flight service are: lightning data, CCFP, WARP, ITWIS, NCWF, ADDS, AWRP, WRF, and NCAR research.
3. Infrastructure - flight service needs equipment to allow access to data.
4. Pilots need better training from FAA on weather. [User groups emphasized this need.]
5. For ASOS/AWOS pilots want video imaging of the sky like what is available in Alaska. [User groups emphasized this need.]
We had personal dialogue with AOPA on ASOS problems or limitations -
� Low clouds not directly over the site are missed.
� Approaching fog banks / clouds are not detected.
� Mountain obscurations are not determined.
� Sector visibility is not available.
� Erroneous reports on visibility restrictions can be either better or worse than actual weather.
� No determination of "thin" clouds to allow VFR operations. [This item to be
followed up with Melissa Bailey, (Vice President - Air traffic Services - AOPA).]
Two solutions offered by NAATS:
1. Flight service could assist in reporting ASOS/AWOS outages, if procedures are worked out by FAA & NAATS.
2. Let flight service facilities test new weather technologies for feedback on
usability, problems to correct, customer (pilot) suggestions/comments and op-erational deployment potential.
I have been in touch with Ward Simpson about a Navy project in southern California.
Back to Table of Contents
AIR TRAFFIC PROCEDURES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Andrea Chay, NAATS Representative
ATPAC 101 commenced Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000 in the Bessie Coleman Conference Center at FAA headquarters. Items discussed that concern us were NOTAM distribu-tion, and entry and dissemination of PIREPS.
100th Meeting of ATPAC
Jeff Griffith, ATP-1 visited and congratulated us on 100 meetings of ATPAC. We have been around longer than most of the programs that get started (and ended!) within FAA. Among things he discussed was new flight plan formatting. In joint meetings with Canada, they will be discussing making our flight plans compatible with Canada and Mexico. This will make data transfer and radar information transfer automatic. Now this must be coordinated manually. Their next meeting is Nov. 7, 2000, and they hope to automate the flight plans transfer by summer of 2001. MAPCOG, the group handling the reformatting of flight plans among other things is still meeting quarterly, and Donna Holmes is on this committee for NAATS. A draft universal flight plan that AOPA had developed in this group previously did not meet the requirements for what was needed for IFR-to-IFR hand-offs. They are trying to preserve the VFR portion, which was OK, and modify what needs to be done to get the IFR transfers to occur automatically.
FY 2001 Budget Items
Jeff said the FSS/GA Summit action plan is being worked. The budget for 2001 has 2 meetings scheduled, with planning for implementing low cost/no cost ideas first. No date has been set yet for the next full summit meeting. He stated the purpose of the FSS Renaissance is that we must change the way we do business, and get the cus-tomer to come to us rather than look for alternative methods of getting weather informa-tion. I know that most of us in FSS would heartily agree and wonder why FAA took so long to realize this! FAA plans to hire at least two more specialists in the FSS Division, ATP-300. Jeff mentioned that the local airport advisory test (LAA) now going on at HRO by JBR AFSS (and two other locations which I don't remember), is receiving positive feedback from users and the controllers involved. They are looking at expanding the
ISE/SUA program currently in use at FTW AFSS; money will be the main constraint on expanding it everywhere. OASIS is budgeted for $23 million in the next year's budget, and it looks good that we will get the full amount. SEA has OASIS up and running, and while there are still many work-arounds needed, it is functional, i.e. they are able to
actually use it! The response from the controllers as a whole is more favorable than not. (I visited SEA AFSS last week.)
NOTAM Distribution
Pete Quinn briefed us on the status of NOTAM distribution. The FAA is committed to changing to ICAO format, and would like to do this by early next year. However, WMSCR, as it is today, is unable to support the increase in data that the ICAO format would generate, and its replacement is not scheduled for 5 to 6 years. They are looking at ways to distribute NOTAMS other than through WMSCR to expedite the transition.
M1FC is also incapable of handling the increased data needed for ICAO. FAA is look-ing at the possibility of a DOD type web page to distribute NOTAMS, but security is still a problem. Also, FAA still has no Internet policy. Overall, the current NOTAM system will be unsupportable by 2002-2003, so FAA does have a time constraint to deal with regarding NOTAM conversion, etc. We will continue to get updates as changes occur.
NOTAM Distribution
The other issue of interest to us is PIREP dissemination. A JSIT (Joint Safety Imple-mentation Team) group is working on the recommendations previously given, and they will be discussed again during the next GA Summit. Some of the ideas previously gen-erated were: a nationwide VHF PIREP broadcast frequency, intranet/internet access through ADDS (Aviation Digital Data Service), a solicited PIREP program where control-lers request PIREPS at specific times and locations, (test to hopefully begin in FY-01), also a way to make it easy for controllers in towers and centers to get the PIREPS to us in FSS for dissemination. Other ideas were to provide FSS controllers with a display of aircraft position overlaid with weather graphics and enable general aviation access to airline PIREP information (ACARS or e-PIREPS). We will get further updates in
January.
That's about it for this ATPAC. If you have any concerns or ideas on procedures that can be improved or streamlined, let me know at
[email protected]
Back to Table of Contents
Health and Safety News
Suzanne M. Pellosmaa, NAATS OSH REP
Hazard Communication
Program
Each agency is required by law to have a written hazard communication program
because each employee has a RIGHT-TO-KNOW about their exposure to hazardous
chemicals at their workplace. OSHA's expanded standard (29CFR1910.1200)
requires that all employees be informed and trained. In the program all
hazardous chemicals used in your facility should be listed.
Common chemicals used
include copier supplies such as toner and developer. Since toner is found
in most of our automated flight service stations, there should be a hazard
communication program at each facility. The Great Lakes Region, Airways
Facility Division, is currently completing a hazard communication program which
should be available to the other lines of business (LOB), remember each LOB is
responsible for their OSH program, and yes that does include Air Traffic!!
Acquire a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on every hazardous chemical known to
be present in your workplace. The vendor selling the product will supply
you with this sheet. OSHA requires that these MSDS's be easily accessible
to all employees! All hazardous chemicals must be labeled. Employees
must be trained regarding the hazard communication program. Each employee
needs to understand the problems of working with these hazardous chemicals, what
a MSDS is and where they are stored. Document your training, this will be
very important in the event of an OSHA inspection. If you are not familiar
with an MSDS, it will be briefly described below -- there are eight sections to
an MSDS:
- �
Section I �
Manufacturer�s Information (to
include name, address, telephone, date prepared & signature)
- �
Section II � Hazardous
Ingredients/Identity Information (common names, OSHA PEL, limits)
- �
Section III �
Physical/Chemical Characteristics (boiling
point, vapor pressure/ density, melting point, evaporation rate, etc.)
- �
Section IV � Fire and
Explosion Hazard Data (flash
point, flammable limits, etc.)
- �
Section V � Reactivity
Data (stability, Byproducts,
polymerization)
- �
Section VI � Health
Hazard Data (route of entry,
carcinogenity, signs and symptoms of exposure, medical conditions, emergency
and first aid procedures)
- �
Section VII � Precautions
for Safe Handling and Use (steps
to be taken in case material is released or spilled, waste disposal method,
precautions to be taken in handling and storing)
- �
Section VIII � Control
Measures (respiratory
protection, ventilation needed, protective clothing needed, work practices,
etc.)
Emergency Response
Planning
All employees need to be trained
in policies and procedures. Fire emergency plans must be established and
posted. Fire extinguisher training must be completed according to the
NAATS/FAA contract and should be documented. Fire extinguishers must be
maintained and recharged routinely and a record of this service should be kept
on file. Fire extinguishers need to be located in readily accessible areas
and all employees must know their location. It is important to have a well
thought-out medical emergency plan that all employees are familiar with.
OSHA Standard (29CFR1910.151) requires first aid supplies approved by a
consulting physician be readily available. The standard further requires
that if an infirmary, hospital, or clinic is not in close proximity, at least
one employee must be adequately trained to administer first aid. (Red
Cross training is acceptable to meet this requirement). Evacuation routes
should be reviewed, posted and practiced by all employees. All exits must
be clearly marked. NOT AN EXIT must be posted over "false"
exits. Offices with more than fifty employees need at least two exits.
Questions to think
about:
- �
Do you know your route of
escape in case of emergency?
- �
Have you practiced it?
- �
Where are the fire
extinguishers on your floor?
- �
Do you know how to operate
them?
- �
Where is your first aid kit?
Does it include a resuscitation mask?
- �
Have you been trained in CPR?
Questions to Answer
(Answers will be included in next month's newsletter)
1)
T/F Respirators should only be used by individuals who are
specially trained to use them.
2)
T/F To enter a permit-required confined space, you always need a
special permit and you must be trained.
3)
T/F Machinery that is tagged out may only be used by supervisory
personnel.
4)
T/F Employers are required by law to inform employees of the
dangers associated with the chemicals they work with or may be exposed to.
5)
T/F Every industrial workplace must have an emergency action plan.
6)
MSDS stands for_________ __________ __________ ___________.
7)
A sign that says "CAUTION" means that
- a)
there is a clear and present danger in the immediate area
- b)
no untrained employees should proceed beyond that point
- c)
there is a non-immediate hazard in the area
- d)
there is a clear and present danger within 100 feet of that sign
8)
Equipment is tagged when:
- a)
it is broken or being serviced
- b)
it is not performing up to standards
- c)
its operation requires two or more people
- d)
it is going to be replaced within six months
9)
The dangers associated with permit-required confined spaces include:
- a)
loneliness
- b)
atmospheric hazards
- c)
engulfment
- d)
entrapment
- e)
b, c, and d only
10)
Lockout and tag-out are:
- a)
examples of labor actions
- b)
wrestling terms
- c)
ways to ensure that hazardous fumes do not enter a populated
workspace
- d)
ways to ensure that broken or out-of-service equipment remains safely
out of use
11)
Hazardous wastes:
- a)
are any hazardous material left over from a manufacturing process or
other use
- b)
must be treated, stored, and disposed of according to strict rules
- c)
should be treated as if they were at least as dangerous as the
original material
- d)
all of the above
12)
The most common work-related injury is:
- a)
blindness
- b)
hearing loss
- c)
burns
- d)
back injury
Well folks, sorry I had to
miss the convention this year, but I�ll try to be there next year. I do
hope that Mark Boberick is able to answer all those safety and health questions
that you may have. But if not,
please feel free to contact me at your discretion.
Regions Responsible for Providing New Chairs with New
Consoles
One last note before I sign
off, if your facility is due for the new consoles within the next few years,
remember that we are also authorized new chairs with the new consoles. It
is up to your region to provide the chairs. Here at GRB AFSS, we are
testing a new ergonomic chair and may be receiving new ones in the future to
test-sit. Remember:
It is up to your facility to ensure this happens.
Back to Table of Contents
Sure, the North Pole Is Melting. So What?
S. Fred Singer, Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal
It is fashionable these days to blame almost everything on man-made global warming. So it comes as no great surprise to read in a recent New York Times story that "leads" of open water in ice fields near the North Pole filled cruise passengers on a Russian icebreaker with a "sense of alarm" about impending climate disasters. Two scientists who were lecturing aboard, a Harvard zoologist and an American Museum
paleontologist (experts on animals and fossils, but not on meteorology), were "shocked," as ABC News reported, to find "Santa's workshop underwater."
I am a veteran of two Arctic expeditions with the U.S. Navy, and I can testify that ice- breakers always search for leads to make their way through the ice. After a long
summer of 24-hour days it is not unusual to find open leads all over the place, especially af-ter strong winds break up the winter ice.
Nor is this a recent phenomenon. In a 1969 Dutch atlas the following passage appears: "The Northern Ice Sea is never completely frozen; 3- to 30-meter-thick ice floes con-tinue moving slowly around the pole. At the North Pole the winter temperature is never lower than -35 degrees Celsius. Summer temperatures can rise to 10 to 12 degrees Celsius." Those last temperatures are well above freezing.
But all this proves little about climate change or about enhanced greenhouse warming. For this purpose we use instruments: thermometers at weather stations, radiosondes carried into the atmosphere by weather balloons twice daily and, of course, Earth-circling weather satellites that
sense atmospheric temperatures remotely. All of these agree that the polar regions have not warmed appreciably in recent decades.
Climate models do call for a warming trend as levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide rise because of the burning of fossil fuels. Hence the dilemma: Do we believe theoretical models of the atmosphere or the atmosphere itself? I prefer to believe in the
atmosphere and the actual observations that show no current warming. If this clashes with the accepted popular wisdom and media
hype, so be it. I go with published data.
The Earth did warm between about 1900 and 1940, with the climate recovering from a previous cold period that climate experts refer to as the Little Ice Age. As a result of these changes, which have nothing to do with human influences, it is warmer now than it was 100 years ago. This has had an influence on polar ice, which has been slowly thinning, as it melts from beneath. And the ice will continue to thin for some time to come even though the climate is no longer warming. Moral: It takes a lot of time to melt ice.
Weather satellites tell us that polar ice cover is shrinking -- likely a delayed effect of the pre-1940 warming. The Northeast Passage has opened up, allowing ships to sail from London to Japan along the coast of Siberia. It's all part of a natural climate cycle and need not cause concern. Recall that 1,000 years ago the climate was so warm that
Vikings settled Greenland and grew crops there for a few centuries. Just imagine, Santa's reindeers would have had to swim to get here from the North Pole.
About the Author
Mr. Singer, former director of the U.S. Weather Satellite Service and chief scientist at the Department of Transportation. He is also professor emeritus of environmental
sciences at the University of Virginia.
Back to Table of Contents
Remember...
1. When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it's really dead.
2. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even just for kicks.
3. Do not search the basement, especially if the power has gone out.
4. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. However, it will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared. This also applies to kids who speak with somebody else's voice.
5. When you have the benefit of numbers, NEVER pair off and go alone.
6. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
7. Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This would apply to any other house of the dead as well.
8. If you're searching for something which caused a loud noise and find out that it's just the cat, GET OUT NOW!
9. If appliances start operating by themselves, do not check for short circuits, just get out.
10. Do not take ANYTHING from the dead.
11. If you find a town which looks deserted, there's probably a good reason for it. Don't stop and look around.
12. Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're absolutely sure you know what you're doing.
13. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.
14. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, off them immediately. You'll thank yourself later.
15. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're already in trouble if you rec-ognize this one), anywhere in Texas where chainsaws are sold, the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine. Also, California and Ohio are good spots to avoid this and every other time of year. I mean, the answer's in the question.
16. If your car runs out of gas at night on a lonely road, do not go to the nearby de-serted-looking house to phone for help. If you think that it is strange you ran out of gas because you thought you had most of a tank, shoot yourself instead. You are going to die anyway and most likely be eaten.
17. Beware of strangers bearing strange tools. For example: chainsaws, nail guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws or any devices made from deceased companions.
18. If you find that your house is built upon a cemetery, now is the time to move in with the in-laws. (It's a toss-up. We know.) This also applies to houses that had previous inhabitants who went mad, committed suicide, died in some horrible fashion, OR had inhabitants who performed satanic practices in your house.
19. (And perhaps the most important..) Always get out as soon as the scary music starts playing or an unknown, ghostly voice says, "GET OUT". Take the hint. It probably knows something you don't.
20. Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! See you in San Diego.
Back to Table of Contents
Regional Supplements
EASTERN REGION
SOUTHERN REGION
NAATS Northwest Mountain
Back to Table of Contents
WESTERN-PACIFIC REGION
HENRY OLTMAN
"We make $60,000 a year, and the job requires no heavy lifting." This was Henry's favorite saying to me when an employee was in trouble with the agency
for something the employee really, really was at fault for. However, no matter whether the member brought the problem on themselves or was truly
"wronged" by the agency, Henry was the up-front guy for them all. Myself and our regional FacReps depended on him for his ability to be able to
present grievances at the regional level in a well thought through, constructive manner in order to have successful outcomes. He was always by
my side, loyal, dutiful and dependable. I truly could not have asked for a
better person. Our region voted him as the person I was to work with, and
the members chose well. My thanks go to you, the Western-Pacific Region
NAATS members, for giving me the few short years to enjoy working with such a
talented, smart, positive person.that person quickly became my friend.
Henry Oltman, Western-Pacific Regional Coordinator and member of the NAATS Public Relations Team, passed away October 13th from his bout with cancer.
Those of us who knew Henry were blessed. If I had to sum up a description for those of you who only met him briefly or not at all, I would have to say
that Henry was the type of person, who had the personality, humor and such a
positive outlook on life, that if one couldn't get along with Henry, there would probably be nobody that individual could get along with. Henry brought
life into a dull conversation. Henry found positive avenues to situations where it only seemed roads led to hopeless and negative destinations.
Henry seemed to always be able to smile when everyone was down and needed to see a
smile.
Henry was a wonderful husband to his wife Diane, and they were able to travel
together when he had business for the union, so we got to know Diane as well. She is as strong and positive a person as Henry was. We will miss Henry but
we will always have his memories, and Diane will always be a part of our union family.
"$60,000 a year, and no heavy lifting....."
Best Regards, Henry,
Ward
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