B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 4
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Company Policy
I was on Local Control. It was the tail end of the [shift]. I overheard the Supervisor talking on the phone that Tech Operations wanted to go into the safety area of the PAPI lights but didn't have a radio. The Supervisor looked at the radar and said no one was on final and he could go into the safety area. Since I heard this; I looked at him and said I have an aircraft on a 15 mile final. He relayed this information then hung up the phone. I didn't hear if Tech operations was supposed to call back when he was done or not. Then the Supervisor came to me and said that Tech Operations was going into the safety area of the PAPI lights. He stood next to me the whole time watching Tech operations. [Aircraft X] checked in between 8-10 mile final; I told him to continue. In the meantime; the Supervisor was calling Tech operations and airport operations to see if they could get a hold of the guy and to call us back clear of the PAPI lights. When Aircraft X got to a 3-mile final; I told the Supervisor that at 2-mile final I was going to send him around. He didn't say anything to me. At 2-mile final; I sent Aircraft X around. The pilot questioned why; and I told the pilot there were personnel close to the runway and we couldn't verify if they were clear or not. The pilot said something to TRACON and they called over asking if it was an ASDE-X alert. I said no it was due to personnel close to the runway. It took another 5-10 minutes for the Tech Operations guy to call back clear of the runway. In the time I waited; I had to change runway assignment for an aircraft that was lined up for the Center to the Left and I was going to do the same for Aircraft X but TRACON changed him to the Right runway for me. Personnel should not be allowed in the safety area or on the runway unless pre-coordinated and the runway is officially closed for what needs to be done. Also; the runway is my control so the Supervisor should have asked me first if it was okay; instead of approving it without asking. I had no say in this situation. The Supervisor needed to be more aware of what was going on and should have denied the request so he could do better coordination with me and TRACON to close the runway for 15 minutes.
IAD Tower Local Controller reported they had to send an aircraft on final approach around because their Supervisor approved Maintenance Personnel to work close to the runway without a radio.