New Delhi: Working long unregulated shifts, often more than 12 hours at a stretch, aircraft maintenance personnel (AMP) will now have some respite. The directorate general of civil aviation has found that long work hours is leading to several illnesses among AMPs and has directed airlines to draft duty time limitations for them like those for pilots and cabin crew.
Officials said they had observed poor health among AMPs including sleep disorders, emotional disorders, and stomach and heart problems. As their work is crucial to airline safety, it was felt that their duty hours should be regulated. The advisory circulated among airlines said: "Often, various incident and accident investigation reports have attributed human error as a weakest link in the safety chain and without attention this can become a safety hazard...therefore, it is advisable that in line with pilot and cabin crew, every organization should frame policy for AMP duty time limitations and adequate rest period."
Those who will be covered under the new regulations include not only certified personnel but also technicians, inspectors, supervisors, managers and planners associated with the aircraft maintenance.
01/10/12 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India
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Officials said they had observed poor health among AMPs including sleep disorders, emotional disorders, and stomach and heart problems. As their work is crucial to airline safety, it was felt that their duty hours should be regulated. The advisory circulated among airlines said: "Often, various incident and accident investigation reports have attributed human error as a weakest link in the safety chain and without attention this can become a safety hazard...therefore, it is advisable that in line with pilot and cabin crew, every organization should frame policy for AMP duty time limitations and adequate rest period."
Those who will be covered under the new regulations include not only certified personnel but also technicians, inspectors, supervisors, managers and planners associated with the aircraft maintenance.
01/10/12 Neha Lalchandani/Times of India
