Health & Safety at work Act
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Health & Safety at work Act
Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know why airline crew do not have to legally have breaks at work?
I have been pondering over this question over the last 10 years of work and cannot seem to find an answer from any department from any company I have worked with.
I find it difficult to understand why workers who are employed to work an 8 hour shift have to have legally allocated breaks during their work time, when both flight crew and cabin crew can work an enormous amount of hours in one go with no legal entitlement to rest.
I believe it is necessary to delivery optimum performance in safety and customer service, but how can this be achieved when in effect, cabin crew can work a maximum of 18 hours straight (depending on report time, sectors flown and using 3 hours discretion), have 18 hours rest either at home or downroute at a hotel and then do the same again?
Whilst I understand it is the individual airlines interest to have their crews work a maximum pattern, I find it hard to see most people finding this acceptable. We also have to bear in mind that we are working at altitude, anywhere between 8 and 10 thousand feet (please correct me if i am wrong), surely this also should be taken into consideration?
It also irks me that flight crew and cabin crew have different rules in so far as FTL. I strongly believe that the mental stresses placed upon the flight crew are immense, however sometimes the physical stresses placed upon the cabin crew can be very strenuous - and don't forget stress comes into it for us too.
If anyone has any background info on this, or any ideas on how we can all go about promoting the inequality of the Health and Safety at Work Act I would be eager to read your responses.
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">
[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Psr777 ]</p>
I have been pondering over this question over the last 10 years of work and cannot seem to find an answer from any department from any company I have worked with.
I find it difficult to understand why workers who are employed to work an 8 hour shift have to have legally allocated breaks during their work time, when both flight crew and cabin crew can work an enormous amount of hours in one go with no legal entitlement to rest.
I believe it is necessary to delivery optimum performance in safety and customer service, but how can this be achieved when in effect, cabin crew can work a maximum of 18 hours straight (depending on report time, sectors flown and using 3 hours discretion), have 18 hours rest either at home or downroute at a hotel and then do the same again?
Whilst I understand it is the individual airlines interest to have their crews work a maximum pattern, I find it hard to see most people finding this acceptable. We also have to bear in mind that we are working at altitude, anywhere between 8 and 10 thousand feet (please correct me if i am wrong), surely this also should be taken into consideration?
It also irks me that flight crew and cabin crew have different rules in so far as FTL. I strongly believe that the mental stresses placed upon the flight crew are immense, however sometimes the physical stresses placed upon the cabin crew can be very strenuous - and don't forget stress comes into it for us too.
If anyone has any background info on this, or any ideas on how we can all go about promoting the inequality of the Health and Safety at Work Act I would be eager to read your responses.
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">
[ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Psr777 ]</p>
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Triple 7,
I don't want to argue with any of the points you have made which are all perfectly valid.
The problem is not with the (UK) Health and Safety at Work Act which gives a lot of protection to workers in their place of work. Unfortunately the HSWA specifically states that it does not apply to an aircraft in flight.
The problems you raise are associated with Flight Time Limits and we all know what the chances of getting them changed in the pilots favour are <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
I don't want to argue with any of the points you have made which are all perfectly valid.
The problem is not with the (UK) Health and Safety at Work Act which gives a lot of protection to workers in their place of work. Unfortunately the HSWA specifically states that it does not apply to an aircraft in flight.
The problems you raise are associated with Flight Time Limits and we all know what the chances of getting them changed in the pilots favour are <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
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What annoys me is that we are exempt the noise regulations.
How many pilots have tinnitus? Why should we suffer when other people in high noise environments are protected by law from high noise levels?!
<img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
How many pilots have tinnitus? Why should we suffer when other people in high noise environments are protected by law from high noise levels?!
<img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
