American Airlines subsidiary fined for safety breach after worker ‘ingested into engine’

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined American Airlines regional carrier Piedmont Airlines for a breach of safety after a worker was “ingested” into the engine of an aircraft in Alabama on New Year’s Eve. Piedmont Airlines passenger service agent Courtney Edwards was killed on Dec. 31 after she walked too close to a jet engine as it was parking at the gate and was pulled in by the extreme force. OSHA determined the airline was not creating “a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to ingestion and jet blast hazards,” according to the Communication Workers of America Local 3645 that covers ground workers at Piedmont. “Despite the small penalty, it is likely Piedmont will contest the decision, and CWA will continue to fight for Courtney Edwards, her family, and the safety of all airline workers, who should never fear for their lives on the job,” a memo to union members read. The OSHA fine is at odds with a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released in January that said the crew held a safety briefing before the accident and that employees were told “that the airplane should not be approached” until the engine was shut off and a beacon light was turned off.<br/>