december2022january2023 - 24

Ground Service Providers
High Standards for Safety
GSE and effective training help ground personnel work safely
at height and prevent costly accidents.
BY REBECCA KANABLE
G
round support personnel aren't always working
on the ground. Some tasks, including loading
cargo, assisting passengers with limited mobility,
providing catering or cleaning services or aircraft maintenance,
may require " working at height " and taking
necessary safety precautions, which include utilizing the
proper equipment and training.
" Falls from elevated working surfaces (at or greater than 4
feet above the next level) present a significant risk of death or
serious injury to workers. Falls from aircraft working surfaces,
work platforms, ladder stands and aerial devices are potential
sources of serious injuries and fatalities. Falls are unplanned
events and individuals who believe that they will be able to
'catch' themselves and prevent the fall are generally mistaken, "
wrote Robert Carty, then-acting executive director of Flight
Standards Service (FS), introducing FAA Order
3900.65A in 2021.
The order establishes the minimum requirements for fall
protection for employees of FS, which promotes safe air transportation
by setting the standards for certification and oversight
of airmen, air operators, air agencies and designees.
FAA Order 3900.65A states fall prevention measures may
involve the installation of guardrail systems on ladder stands
and platforms, guarding of wall openings using standard guardrail
systems, and properly covering floor holes and openings
when not in use.
Safety Standards
Depending on the specific work and equipment being used and
sometimes who is doing the work, different standards or guidelines
may be applicable.
ANSI A92.7-2014, for example, addresses Airline Ground
Support Vehicle-Mounted Vertical Lift Devices, and the Scaffold
& Access Industry Association is the secretariat of the
A92 committee.
Another standard, ANSI A14.7, is the safety standard for
mobile ladder stands and mobile ladder stand platforms and
is undergoing review. The American Ladder Institute (ALI) is
approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI),
as the developer of safety standards for the ladder industry.
Conformance to ALI standards is voluntary; ALI does not
approve or endorse any product. Standards are technical
specifications, which prescribe rules governing the
safe construction, design, testing, care and use of
various types of ladders. Standards are developed
on a five-year renewal cycle by subcommittees
comprised of industry experts.
" Some ANSI standards are focused
JSI offers customizable
maintenance stands. The
Universal Deployable Platform
is constructed using a
series of pins.
24 || Ground Support Worldwide || December 2022/January 2023
primarily on standardization and other
ANSI standards, such as the A14.7 standard,
are focused on both standardization
as well as safety, " says Bill Switalski,
P.E., of Switalski Engineering Inc.,
who is the chairman of the A14.7
JETECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. (JSI)
december2022january2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of december2022january2023
