Why not give the engineer a mobile phone instead of a radio?
Because any PED (portable electronic device) needs to be intrinsically safe in accordance with Australian safety standards. Mobile phones are not. If you drop one and the battery falls off on the concrete tarmac, a spark could occur igniting fuel vapours which tend to hang around the vents at the end of the wings. This would tend to cause an explosion that could lead to the deaths of hundreds of people.
I thought this would be a no brainer but then again as most managers are now accountants it may be a little difficult to work out.
Are we saying that only another QF engineer contactable by radio can come to assist in case of emergency, surely not.
If an emergency occurs Qantas procedures need to be followed. The procedures are for the DMM to respond to the appropriate emergency service as outlined in his office on emergency response cards. If it is left to anyone to respond then other depts and engineers may just assume that someone else will get it.
I would think it a no brainer that Qantas procedures need to be followed in case of emergency but then again accountants sit in offices. FYI - If you get a paper cut please follow procedure and contact your on duty first aider.
Or is it just another attempt to squawk safety during a reform process??????
It is an attempt to bypass safety during a reform process. A process driven by pen pushers and other odd balls to cut costs and reduce safety. A process driven by a Qantas management team littered with ex Ansett managers applying the same principles that destroyed Ansett. A process that is being rejected by Perth engineers for the benefit of all engineers in Australia and the safety record of the airline but thank you for your perspective. It gives us an insight into the ignorance we are dealing with.