FAA Issues Ground Crew Safety Alert

The FAA has published a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) aimed at preventing injuries to ground personnel towing and guiding airliners. The agency recommended that operators ensure their towing and marshalling procedures require that chocks are installed whenever aircraft towing stops, all personnel to remain clear of an aircraft in tow until it has come to a complete stop, ground activities begin only after chocks are installed and all personnel remain clear of engines until they are shut down. According to the FAA, the SAFO (PDF) stems from two events that occurred during aircraft towing and ground handling operations.

In one incident, a wing walker was seriously injured when they were struck by the trailing edge flaps of an aircraft being towed and subsequently run over by the main landing gear. During the second reported event, a ramp agent was killed when they were ingested by a running engine. The FAA emphasized that it has not seen proof of a systemic issue but issued the SAFO due to the severity of the incidents.