Health and Safety in the Aviation Industry

This paper will discuss the state of the aviation industry by focusing explicitly upon health and safety issues which exist with regard to the industry, and attempts currently being made to solve, or at least to minimize, these issues. It the thesis of this paper that, whilst there are several challenges associated with the industry, these can be divided roughly into those concerning the emissions and those concerning the safety of the individuals on any given flight and that the former is being dealt with more successfully than the latter. One of the main causes for concern on a macro-level is the contribution that aviation makes in the USA's total emissions of green house gases and carbon dioxide. . These can have adverse consequences for the health of individual people and contribute to climate change. This is thought to be due to the heavy content of carbon dioxide and other green house gases contained in these emissions. According to the GAO's document released in 2009, it is currently estimated that around 70 to 80 per cent of emissions within the aviation industry are caused by aircraft emissions themselves. (5) These emissions contain gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides which contribute to the formation of O-zone, which is thought to be one of the most major health threats in modern industrial countries and been known to cause and aggravate respiratory conditions. As a result of this the industry is focused on developing measures designed to reduce these emissions. One of these measures is known as NextGen technologies and procedures, as detailed in the above mentioned document. This will involve the use of satellite technology to improve navigation systems to improve efficiency of travel and transport. One of the most popular of these technologies is known as Automatic Development Surveillance-Broadcast (ADSB) It is expected that, by increasing the capacity for micro control of an aircraft during take-off, landing and flight, this will allow for a greater efficiency and will enable for a cut in fuel usage and therefore a reduction in emission levels. As well as this, as reported in the same government document, the FAA is also supporting current research into the precise composition of aircraft emissions, in order to better understand the consequences that they have on the environment. (15) Alongside concerns regarding the effect of the industry on the planet as a whole, it is necessary to

consider health and security of individual passengers or goods on any given flight. One of the major challenges faced by the industry is the threat of terrorism and disorder on flights. It has been suggested that non-lethal weapons may be provided for use in cabins by trained staff. According to the government report Further Study of Safety and Effectiveness Needed if Air Carriers Resume Interest in Deploying Less-Than-Lethal Weapons there are two possible types. The first of these is two pronged device which may be held against the body of an aggressor and which emits a charge of 50,000 volts in order incapacitate them. The second is known as an electro muscular disruption device (EMDD) which would fire two barbs into the skin of an aggressor and which could them emit a concentrated electric charge. (7) As mentioned in the same report, in 2002 the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) concluded that, whilst these devices could theoretically prove useful in subduing individuals who posed a threat to others or to themselves, and they certainly have in several non-flight situations, they should not be provided before further testing had been conducted. (12.) At the time this was due largely to the concern as to the effect that such devices could have on elderly people, or on those with a history of drug or alcohol problems. It is also essential to understand the effect that these devices could have on the systems of inflight control and safety. In April 2002 the FAA conducted limited tests and concluded that the devices would not have serious effects on these control systems. However, the TSL, whilst they did not consider the particular units tested to be a danger to flights systems made it clear that they could not guarantee that the results would be the same for every unit that could conceivably be used on an air craft. (15) Whilst it has been argued that the need for air-craft security is paramount in any situation, it appears that institutions have not been able to provide the necessary data which would allow for the implementation of new measures. It was reported in the same document that the TSA was not successful in collecting the necessary data which would allow for issues concerning the use of these units to be resolved. (18) In conclusion, the aviation industry faces several challenges which stem both from technological and environmental issues and the personal safety of those who work on and use the industry. It

would seem that the former is being dealt with in a more effective and clear way than the latter, although this may be due to difficulties involved with sanctioning the use of force and the carrying of weapons on board of planes.

Works Cited

USA. United States Government Accountability Office. Aviation and the Environment: NextGen and Research and Development are Keys to Reducing Emissions and Their Impact on Health and Climate. Washington: GAO, 2008. Print.

USA. United States Government Accountability Office. Further Study of Safety and Effectiveness Needed if Air Carriers Resume Interest in Deploying Less-Than-Lethal Weapons. Washington: GAO, 2006. Print.