No Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 10
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Procedure
As of Date; after more than a year of each area working mid shifts in their own areas to keep COVID safety precautions a priority; ZZZ [TRACON] as a facility has forced their controllers to congregate into one poorly ventilated area and needlessly work next to other controllers from other areas. The primary safety concern was highlighted as last night; Date; a positive COVID case was reported in Area B and it prompted an early level 3 facility cleaning. Area E controllers are permitted to stay in their own area; great for them. However; Areas D; C; A and B are now forced to work together in area D for hours on the mid shift. The person who worked for 8 hours the previous morning with the person who reported they tested positive just after that shift is now sitting next to 3 people from other areas in Area D which is closed off with a plastic tarp with a small hole for entry. It's one thing to contract trace and potentially wipe out one area; but allowing the cross contamination of multiple areas together is plainly irresponsible. Additionally; at least for Area C; there is NO Orange emergency jack in Area D. If the TED goes down; Area C has zero recourse. We would be forced to abandon position and sprint to Area C to try to save a imminent disaster (I.e. a plane full of 200 plus people smashing into the ground). This is probably true for areas A and B who are working from area D on the mid shift. ZZZ should not be subjecting their controllers to potential cross contamination; regarding COVID tracing. Also; the safety redundancy doesn't exist for other areas in area D. ZZZ claims they are following some MOU that was in effect years ago. It's plainly irresponsible that management at ZZZ cannot coordinate a new MOU or a waiver with the primary concern as SAFETY of this controllers and if considering the safety of the flying public (no Orange Jacks). All areas should work in their OWN areas as we have successfully done for more than a year.
TRACON Controller reported issues relating to COVID-19 at the facility.