A judge affirmed safety fines against United Airlines stemming from a 2021 incident where an employee lost five toesafter being run over by an aircraft's tire.
The 2021 Jet-Towing Incident
A technician employed by United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport suffered a crushed right foot by a 737 aircraft, which weighs over 50 tons, during work with towing crews in 2021. The employee required hospitalization, and five of their toes were amputated as a result, prompting the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) investigation.
OSHA Holding United Airlines Accountable
OSHA put forward a penalty of $14,502, the maximum allowed under federal law. United Airlines exercised its right to challenge the decision before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), which affirmed OSHA's findings.
United Airlines appealed this decision, leading the matter to be brought before a judge. They argued that the injuries resulted from employee misconduct, specifically violating tow safety rules. However, the federal administrative law judge upheld the OSHA decision and concluded that United Airlines had not adequately implemented measures to safeguard workers from hazards during towing operations. While acknowledging routine violations of tow safety rules, the judge found fault with the airline's failure to take appropriate corrective actions.
The Negligence on Safety Procedure Ruling
The judge's ruling subjected United Airlines' technicians to significant struck-by and crushed-by hazards. It rejected the company's argument of employee misconduct, pointing out that its failure to address violations of tow-safety rules played a role in the incident. The decision permits the Occupational Safety & Hazard Administration (OSHA) to impose $14,502 in fines on United Airlines for the incident.
A Push for Safety Procedure Regulation
In a statement, OSHA Area Director Joseph Czapik in Parsippany emphasized that towing a 50-ton jet is widely acknowledged as a hazardous and well-known risk within the airline industry and that United Airlines could have prevented an employee from sustaining a severe injury if the company had only adhered to its safety protocols.
Regional Solicitor Jeffrey S. Rogoff emphasized in a statement that towing an airplane is undeniably hazardous work even if an OSHA standard does not directly regulate it. United Airlines was responsible for failing to enforce its safety procedures for this perilous operation, as demonstrated by their case and confirmed by the judge.
Another Aircraft's Tire Complications
A United Airlines aircraft initiated an emergency landing on Thursday after one of its tires dislodged during takeoff. The plane, en route to Japan, was rerouted to Los Angeles following the precarious incident, which transpired during departure from San Francisco.
According to ABC News, the aircraft reportedly experienced a partial loss of its landing gear around 11:35 a.m. Video footage of the event depicts the plane shedding one of its six tires on the left side shortly after takeoff. Debris from the incident damaged several vehicles in the airport's employee parking lot. Fortunately, no injuries among individuals in the vicinity of the runway have been reported.
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