Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to the hazard of being struck by the landing gear of moving aircraft: (a)Ramp "F" opposite Gate 22 at JFK International Airport. Employees with the title of Customer Service Agents have various duties such as wing walker, tug driver and dispatch agent when performing aircraft pushback procedures. They walk around and in front of the landing gear of moving aircraft, therefore, are exposed to the hazard of being struck by the aircraft; on or about 3/27/97. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is as follows: 1)Ensure that there is a restricted area around and under the aircraft that employees are forbidden to enter while the aircraft is moving during the pushback procedures. 2)Ensure that employees involved in the pushback procedures are trained and familiar with these restricted areas. (b)Ramp "F" opposite Gate 22 at JFK International Airport. The Dispatching Agent involved during the aircraft pushback procedures, did not maintain visual contact with the captain at all times; on or about 3/27/97. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is as follows: 1)Ensure the use of interphone communication between the captain and the ground crew so that in the event the captain loses visual communication with the dispatch agent he is able to notify the ground crew to stop the pushback procedures. 2)Ensure that employees involved in the pushback procedures and the captains of the aircraft are trained and familiar with the procedure to stop the pushback if the dispatch agent loses visual communication with the captain. (c)Ramp "F" opposite Gate 22 at JFK International Airport. The tug drivers which are involved in the aircraft pushback procedures, are not in verbal contact with the flight crew at all times; on or about 3/27/97. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is as follows: 1)Ensure that there is an uninterrupted open line of communication at all times from the tug driver to the flight crew while the aircraft is moving during the pushback procedures. 2)Supply continuous back ground noise between the flight crew and the tug driver in order to recognize that communications have been disconnected if the back ground noise is interrupted. 3)Supply a strain relief device for the headset cord were it connects to the aircraft. 4)Ensure that employees involved in the pushback are trained and familiar with these procedures. (d)Ramp "F" opposite Gate 22 at JFK International Airport. Employees with the title of Customer Service Agents have various duties such as wing walker, tug driver and dispatching agent that are involved in the aircraft pushback procedures, did not stop the pushback when the headset became inoperative; on or about 3/27/97. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is as follows: 1)Ensure that the pushback is stopped, should the headset become disconnected or inoperative during the pushback. 2)Ensure that employees involved in the pushback procedures are trained and familiar with stopping the pushback if the headset becomes disconnected from the aircraft. (e)Ramp "F" opposite Gate 22 at JFK International Airport. The tug driver involved during the aircraft pushback procedures, did not maintain visual communications with the dispatching agent at all times; on or about 3/27/97. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is as follows: 1)Ensure that all pushbacks be stopped if visual communication between the tug driver and the dispatching agent is not maintained. 2)Ensure that all employees involved in the pushback procedures of aircraft be trained and familiar with the procedure to stop the aircraft if the tug driver can not maintain visual communication with the dispatching agent.