Ground Support Worldwide

APR 2017

The ground support industry's source for news, articles, events, product and services information.

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APRIL 2017 AviationPros.com 27 SECURITY passengers at risk as well, as too minimal use, or no cleaning product use at all, can create unsanitary conditions that are breed- ing grounds for disease. Too much cleaning product can cause overwhelming fumes, putting pilots, crew and passengers at risk. As worker's clean cabins, wheelchairs, ter- minals and more, they are also frequently exposed to blood and other bodily fluids, such as vomit and urine, posing the risk of coming into contact with blood borne patho- gens that can transfer disease to humans. Aside from these apparent chemical and biological risks, those working day-in and day-out on the tarmac are regularly exposed to fuel emissions and carbon dioxide coming from engines in jets, vehicles and equipment. While low levels of exposure can cause head- aches, lightheadedness, fatigue, impaired judgment, motor skill deterioration and loss of consciousness, high levels of exposure can lead to extremely severe side effects, such as cancer and death by suffocation. Although most people are aware excessive amounts of exposure to CO2 has scientifi- cally been proven to cause health problems, a natural element that isn't always initially thought of as life-threatening is weather. However, excessive exposure to extreme heat can lead to heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke, while prolonged exposure to freezing or cold tem- peratures may cause serious health problems, such as frostbite and hypothermia. The final hazard discussed in NYCOSH's report was exposure to extreme noise lev- els from airplane engines, which can cause permanent hearing loss that cannot be sur- gically corrected or improved with hearing aids. Exposure to loud noise can also cause psychological and physical stress and hyper- tension, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration and con- tribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals. The areas of airport operations most likely to increase operational risk include but are not limited to: • Airside Driver and Vehicle Operations – including safety policies, such as distance between vehicles, speed in designated areas and number of vehicles and drivers present in loading areas. • Apron Management – managing aircraft parking, loading/unloading and fueling and boarding areas. • Biological – including aircraft waste stor- age and disposal (blood borne pathogens). • Construction and Maintenance – ensur- ing infrastructure is properly maintained INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES IN AIR TRANSPORT, BY INJURY KIND, 2013/14P FALL FROM HEIGHT, 50 MOVING VEHICLE, 49 KINDS WITH <40 INJURIES OR UNSPECIFIED, 75 5% 5% 8% LIFTING & HANDLING, 353 39% SLIP, TRIP, 219 24% STRUCK BY OBJECT, 117 13% STRUCK AGAINST, 55 6%

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