No Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Procedure
I was working a late night shift and saw a couple Tech Ops guys go around the back side of the console. I heard them making some noise on what sounded like my sector or one very close by. I didn't think too much of it; but did notice and was slightly surprised. All of a sudden; there was a click or knock or something noise from somewhere behind my console. My scope; D-side and ERIDS all went black. I yelled 'Wrong one!'; then waited a couple seconds and yelled it again. I was hoping they'd quickly realize that whatever they just did was maybe not as well-planned out as it should have been. They walked around the backside and started going back down the hall to Tech Ops or where ever they go; and I told them that they killed the sector. They said something among themselves about not thinking that breaker controlled both sectors. The other Controller started quick-looking my sector and I was trying to set up Sector 42 to quick-look the dead Sector (40). But I didn't have the frequencies set up on 42 so I had to go back and forth until the supervisor did the configuration magic to get all the right frequencies to the new sector. Well; maybe we should label breakers better.
ZLC Controller described a total position equipment failure after noting two maintenance (Tech Ops) individuals making noise behind the equipment.