Tue, Aug 04, 2009
Monitors Emergency Procedures For Control Tower Workers
The safety of airport traffic
control tower personnel is the focus of an inspection targeting
program titled "Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Traffic
Control Tower Monitoring Program," which monitors how workers clear
a control tower in case of fire and other emergencies. The
inspection targeting program, conducted by the U.S. Department of
Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),
examines the FAA's air traffic control towers' provision of safe
means of egress for workers at FAA-owned and operated towers.
The program requires the FAA to bring towers into compliance
with the alternate standard for egress and fire safety. OSHA
inspectors will inspect randomly selected towers to determine if
the FAA is meeting this requirement. A description of OSHA's
alternate standard is available online.
Current guidance based on the FAA's alternate standard allows
for a single exit route where the building size, occupancy level,
type of construction and workplace arrangement is such that all
workers would be able to evacuate safely during an emergency.
"This agency's fundamental responsibility is to protect workers
from unsafe workplaces," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor
for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Those who work in airport traffic control
towers risk their safety if exit routes are not in place in the
event of a fire. OSHA recognizes the importance of this inspection
program and is confident that monitoring compliance with this
standard will result in fewer worker injuries and deaths."
Control Tower File Photo
The standard also includes requirements such as incorporating
fire detection and alarm systems, fire suppression equipment and
emergency action plans. The standard currently covers 386 towers,
of which 190 have been certified by the FAA as being in
compliance.
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