Training For Summer Ops Is Particularly Important With High Employee Turnover

June 24, 2014
Rookies might not realize temperatures on hot ramps can exceed the ambient air temperature by more than 10 degrees.

With the recent heat wave in the Northeast, I got to thinking about the importance of keeping our employees trained on hot weather operations.The high rate of turnover on the ramp makes it difficult, I know. But extreme heat, like extreme cold, can wreak havoc on men, women and machines.

New workers unfamiliar with working on hot ramps where the temperatures can exceed the ambient air temps by more than 10 degrees or in the overheated bellies of aircraft sitting on the tarmac in the broiling sun can be adversely affected by the heat. If they are not aware of precautions that they need to take – such as staying hydrated, taking cooling breaks – they are vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In addition, if they are not familiar with the impacts of heat on, say, fatigue, they may become vulnerable to making fatigue-related mistakes, which we know can cause injuries and damage to aircraft and equipment.

In addition, employees not familiar with heat impacts on machinery will not be aware of the warning signs that equipment is overheating. As we all know, recognizing an impending heat-related problem with motorized equipment can save a lot of equipment down time and a lot of money repairing or replacing it.

As with many things, an ounce of training is worth a pound of cure.