Alcohol Testing for LE's and Mechanics

[hanger35]

Opinions anybody?

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmbills/040/en/03040x-b.htm



http://www.press.dtlr.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?n_id=2001_0148

[DoctorA300]

About bolody time.
clause 90 is a bit silly though, it is true that Engineers and Mechanics don't have to react with the same speed as Pilots and atcos, but even low levels of blood alcohol also impiars your consentration level and attention span, whitch in turn could affect your ability to perfor a multi step procedure, wheel change, inspections, tests, etc.
Brgds
Doc

[Perrin]

About time from me as well, as I tell to the younger engineers put yourself in the pilot's seat when you go up into the cockpit of a loaded 747 and tell him you checked his little problem and hes ok to take the A/C and he smells drink from you, it could be alcohol free but he doesn't know that.
A bond of trust is important in our jobs which is just important as being the hotshot with all the anwers thinking that one drink won't hurt, that pilot doesn't know it was only one. Do I sound like an old f--t, maybe so but how would you feel if it all ended in
a mess.

[ame]

the company I work for has just introduced random breath testing.......fair enough......not a problem if there is no alcohol in my system, as there should never be when pulling spanners on an aircraft.....peoples lives are at stake

[ukeng]

It's been legislation for a long time for Uk Licenced Engineers. Those that weren't covered were mechanics and unlicenced technicians.
There's always rogues in every community (pilots included) but the majority involved in the aircraft industry i've met are well aware of the consequences of their actions.
Don't forget the crews influence on safety for a particular aircraft lasts the length of their sector, the engineers work goes untouched for years.... Food for thought?
As a side note, i've no idea why the limits for flight crew and ground staff are different. Should be one rule for all.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Agree totally; everybody from the captain to the receptionist has potential to screw up and affect somebody's safety. I just see absolutely no reason for anybody in an aviation working environment, to be above the 20%mg level that applies to aircrew.

Also, if anybody troubles to read the research, it's ability to make decisions and consistently follow procedures over a period of time that degrades first, manual dexterity much later. Strangely enough, what are Engineers doing? - following procedures and making decisions.

G

[419]

The ANO makes it an offence for a crew member of an aircraft, an air traffic controller or a licensed maintenance engineer to be under the influence of drink or drugs so as to impair his capacity to carry out his aviation related functions. (See articles 13(8), 65(2) and 96.)

I've not read all of the info, but does anyone know if there is anything in there to cover unlicensed engineers.
Where I work, a lot of tasks are carried out by very experienced fitters, and over signed by LAE's.
I was wondering what would be the legal implications on the LAE, if the fitter turned out to have been drinking.

[Kaddyuk]

I do belive that even if the unlicenced tech did the work, the LAE who signed for it should get the knife. Arent LAE's there to stop bad work on aircraft being relesed to service? If the dodgy work slips through the web, then the LAE wasnt doing his job

[419]

Kaddyuk,
I totally agree with your comments, about the LAE being responsible if the fitter screwed up, but that wasn't really my question. What I was wondering was what, if anything would happen to an LAE who signed for a fitters work, (assuming that the job carried out was perfectly satisfactory, but the fitter later failed an alcohol test.
If a learner driver is under the influence, I believe that the driver in charge can be charged. (I might be wrong).

I was wondering if the same could happen to an LAE, even though they might not know that the person they were supervising/signing for, had been drinking

419

[Blacksheep]

Is it true that "The Green Man" had to close due to lack of business?

[Daysleeper]

Agree totally; everybody from the captain to the receptionist has potential to screw up and affect somebody's safety. I just see absolutely no reason for anybody in an aviation working environment, to be above the 20%mg level that applies to aircrew.

I agree, my friend works in an office for Network rail (that what used to be railtrack) and they have the same no alcohol policy and random testing as the drivers. Aviation should be no different. The CEO should not be nipping out for boozy lunches while the workers on the fron line are stone cold sober.