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Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/351674
GROUND GROUND GROUND CONTROL CONTROL May 2014 13 high-voltage systems customers, workers face hazards and inside terminal GROUND GROUND GROUND 100 are involved in this program. To reduce noise exposure, the Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) tries to co-ordinate the shifts of its maintenance staff so they are working at times when there is not as much loud activity, says Michael Rantala, manager of safety and environment at HIAA in Enfi eld, N.S. "Hearing is a big component for any activ- ity, and reasonably, if your hearing becomes reduced, then that can also put you at addi- tional risks and hazards just because of the nature of our business," he says. "Doing work on airside, there's a lot of radio traf- fi c, so ensuing that communication is clear, concise and you understand it because of the high risk nature (is important)." Airports often exceed the noise exposure limits, says Jim Fidler, a health and safety con- sultant based in Thunder Bay, Ont., so they need to have proper controls in place. He also recommends airport authorities do a hearing assessment of each employee upon hire. HIGH-VOLTAGE HAZARDS High-voltage hazards are a reality all airport authorities face. For example, airport runway systems for high visibility and low visibil- ity have increased in complexity over recent years, and the voltages have risen exponen- tially, says Clark. Electrical hazards is one of the top safety concerns Craig Richmond, president and CEO of VAA, has for his workforce. As the largest building complex in British Colum- bia, the airport has multiple voltages fed from BC Hydro, as well as uninterrupt- ible power supplies and secondary power supplies which range from 64kV down to 240/120V. The authority maintains more than 160 electrical rooms and multiple remote kiosks. "When you think about the pressure that can happen — it's a foggy, rainy night, the lights are out on one of the runways, people are working — I just want to make sure they're going about this very deliberately, fol- lowing all the lock-out rules because this is very inherently dangerous stuff, high-voltage electricity," he says. In 2002 an electrician died at the Edmon- ton airport by putting his hand into a box and getting arced. Airport authorities are starting to talk about this, but arc training has yet to evolve, says Clark. "When things happen, they're coming up with new subjects on how to deal with it, but it's not really defi ned on the proper safe practices, which for an airport environment, people are working on generators and elec- trical systems that could kill you with one touch — and the arcing one, you don't even have to touch it," says Clark. VAA has recognized it has more work to do in this area, so it is embarking on a signifi cant arc and shock electrical safety initiative that puts the airport authority in compliance with some best practices, says Strand. It is updating work practices, pro- viding state of the art personal protective equipment (PPE) to electricians, conducting audits, and refreshing online and instructor- led training. COLLISIONS An airport operator's biggest worry is always an aircraft and obstacle collision, whether that obstacle is fi xed (such as a building) or moving (such as snowplows or baggage tugs), says Richmond. "We spend a lot of time and a lot of effort minimizing the number of people who are allowed to drive on the airfi eld and training them extensively and having very careful rules," he says. An airport is a highly regulated environ- ment and there are various locations within its design that are restricted. If workers drive vehicles beyond certain spots with- out permission, they are potentially putting themselves into high-risk situations, such as entering an active runway where there is an aircraft on approach, says Halifax's Rantala. "There are numerous vehicles that are working in that same space, so we do have Amanda Silliker