McGinty
29th Oct 2002, 02:55
I am undertaking some research on behalf of a flight attendants union here in New Zealand regarding the coverage of cabin crew under the national laws of various countries regarding workers' occupational health and safety.
In New Zealand, as in many other countries, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws that apply to the majority of workers do not apply to workers on board operational aircraft. Airlines tended to be made exempt when OHS laws were introduced.
It is only in the last year or so that a number of governments have begun to pay attention to the fact that the welfare of pilots and cabin crew with regard to personal health and safety is not being looked after particularly well by Civil Aviation Authorites (e.g the FAA).
These aviation authorites appear to be fixated on aircraft safety, and accordingly seem to overlook flight crew accidents that are unrelated to aircraft safety, and matters such as illness, stress and fatigue among crew members.
I am looking for anyone who can help me with the following questions:
1. Other than the (US) Association of Flight Attendants Report cited in the following Internet news item
http://t-directfolio.cs.net/rfi091300.html
are there any other reports which document the actual injury and sickness rates of flight attendants? There seems to be a relative lack of data about the overall accident and sickness rates of flight attendants, and I would like to know if more data exists.
and 2. Does anyone have any comments about how increased OHS oversight of the health and safety of flight attendants is working in those countries where some degree of OHS oversight is being introduced?
If anyone wants to send me a private e-mail on this matter, then please contact me at
[email protected]
or at [email protected]
Many thanks for your help,
Colin Boyd
--------------------
Colin Boyd,
Visiting Professor of Management,
School of Business,
University of Auckland,
Auckland, New Zealand
In New Zealand, as in many other countries, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws that apply to the majority of workers do not apply to workers on board operational aircraft. Airlines tended to be made exempt when OHS laws were introduced.
It is only in the last year or so that a number of governments have begun to pay attention to the fact that the welfare of pilots and cabin crew with regard to personal health and safety is not being looked after particularly well by Civil Aviation Authorites (e.g the FAA).
These aviation authorites appear to be fixated on aircraft safety, and accordingly seem to overlook flight crew accidents that are unrelated to aircraft safety, and matters such as illness, stress and fatigue among crew members.
I am looking for anyone who can help me with the following questions:
1. Other than the (US) Association of Flight Attendants Report cited in the following Internet news item
http://t-directfolio.cs.net/rfi091300.html
are there any other reports which document the actual injury and sickness rates of flight attendants? There seems to be a relative lack of data about the overall accident and sickness rates of flight attendants, and I would like to know if more data exists.
and 2. Does anyone have any comments about how increased OHS oversight of the health and safety of flight attendants is working in those countries where some degree of OHS oversight is being introduced?
If anyone wants to send me a private e-mail on this matter, then please contact me at
[email protected]
or at [email protected]
Many thanks for your help,
Colin Boyd
--------------------
Colin Boyd,
Visiting Professor of Management,
School of Business,
University of Auckland,
Auckland, New Zealand