Health
SAFETY UPDATES . . . . . News You Can Use
- Be careful in accepting food items . . . . . . . as some people may not always have the
best intentions. Whenever accepting food/beverage items from unknown people,
especially if not sealed, be mindful of such items where someone could place something
unknown or harmful into a beverage, for example. This not only applies to bars and
lounges - but items left on galley counters as well. Also, do not necessarily think that if a
passenger or fellow crewmember appears 'drugged' that it was as a result of self-
medication, as they could have been 'slipped' something unknowingly. Always exercise
good situational awareness - both on and off the aircraft! And always use the services of
EAP if you suspect a fellow crewmember being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- 'Single Serve Cart' changes and improvements continue . . . as a result of AFA's 'cart
summit' held on May 16th, we have pressed for continuing improvements and changes
affecting the 'single serve cart' concept and, importantly, reducing the number of OJIs as
a result. In fact, a MEC grievance was filed on these facts and remains an open issue.
Recently, a new cart repair tag was introduced to provide timely follow-up to unsafe,
inoperable carts - and, most importantly, an accountability for their repair. Please use
these repair tags - and let your ASHS and Service Committee know if the change is
providing any improvement, along with any continuing issues and concerns regarding
the 'single serve cart': serviceproblems@gmail.com.
A 'cart care program' has been introduced to specifically address overall cart
maintenance, purging of the slam-slide (square handle) carts from the domestic system
and a focus on cart wheels/casters, ensuring ease of operation and improved cart
maneuverability. Let us hear from you on these changes - and any further suggestions!
- Cleaning of blood/bodily fluids containing blood . . . . such 'biohazards' must be
properly entered into the FA Maintenance Logbook, clearly describing 'what' and 'where'
in the cabin. Your MEC ASHS Committee has been working directly with Airport
Operations for a vastly improved 'cleaning checklist' to ensure all stations adhere to
standardized cleaning protocols to reduce the possibility of exposure and exposed areas in
the cabin going unattended, posing a risk to all. Also, don't forget to use Universal
Precautions whenever dealing with such biohazards!
Postcards from the FAA! Certificate Updates / Fatigue Study
The FAAs Civil Aviation Registry is responsible for the database of flight attendant certificates. They are currently updating/verifying their database records for approximately 60,000 randomly selected flight attendants. If you receive a postcard from the FAA, Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, please complete the card and return it immediately. Do not throw it away.
Of the 60,000 flight attendants that receive the postcard the FAA Flight Attendant Certificate Registry will then be used to randomly select 30,000 flight attendants to participate in the upcoming Flight Attendant Fatigue Survey.
AFA CWA has been very active in the funding and development of the survey to address flight attendant fatigue. This flight attendant fatigue survey is one part of our important ongoing efforts to improve duty and rest provisions for all flight attendants and enhance safety.
Even if you have not received the postcard, you can update your information electronically at:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/airmen_services/
Thank you for your participation in our ongoing effort to fight fatigue and improve aviation safety.
Posted by jrook on 10/23 at 08:12 AMWHY OUR UNION MATTERS’
‘THE SAFETY ANGLE . . . . . . . WHY OUR UNION MATTERS’
CURRENT WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENTS ACHIEVED
*Contractual recognition that Flight Attendant safety, security and health are an essential part of our working environment - and the company’s accountability to work with the Union’s Safety, Security & Health Committee to identify and resolve related concerns (Section 22)br>
*Contractually-mandated notification by the company to the Union of specific events and incidents (such as Red/Yellow Emergencies) occurring daily - both on and off the aircraft - allowing our Union to advocate for required improvements - and, importantly, provide support to Flight Attendants involved.
*Contractual recognition of the Union’s Accident Investigation Team (Go Team), allowing access to and support of Members involved in a serious incident or accident; access also to the accident site in accordance with NTSB policies.
*Contractually-mandated access to our workplace - on and off the aircraft - to inspect unsafe working conditions to support needed change.
*With the Union’s Safety, Security & Health Committee recognized by the company, opportunity afforded to have a direct voice in efforts to improve the FA workplace. Recent accomplishments have included: online Inflight Incident Reporting system (allowing required reports to be submitted from any computer); improved Turbulence Action Chart, focusing on improved CRM and injury reduction; and consistent use of Contagious Disease Notification Protocols in reporting such exposures by the company, allowing timely follow-up to Members.
*Advocacy for ‘Worksafe Initiatives’ to improve our workplace and working lives over the past several years - again, attributable to contractual ‘recognition’ and a strong commitment to Flight Attendant safety, security and health, resulting in the following: advanced crew rest provisions on A330 aircraft, provisioning of onboard anti-bacterial hand cleansers, advocacy for hearing protection, lightweight (Atlas) serving carts provisioned on all international aircraft, direct input to Annual Recurrent Training programs to ensure inclusion of current topics and need-to-know policies/practices, and cabin interiors changes directly affecting FAs (for example, the B787 and reconfigured B757 and A319 aircraft).
*Continuing advocacy for the reduction of OJIs through efforts to improve equipment and practices, focusing on repetitive motion, exertion and stress-strain exposures. This also includes the obligation by the company to provide the Union with OSHA-reportable injury/illness logs for all crew bases and the use of such data by our Union to support needed changes.
Single Service Cart Update
Your Voices Were Heard:
Single Service Cart Summit a Success
On Friday, May 16, our MEC Air Safety, Health and Security (ASHS) Chair and ASHS Service Subcommittee Chair , along with Council 95 President and MSP flight attendant Deana Klein, met with Northwest management to resolve ongoing concerns about weight, maneuverability and injuries resulting from the “single service cart” concept launched on April 8, 2008.
As a direct result of this meeting, provisions in Section 22 of our contract (Safety, Security and Health) and your continued feedback to ASHS, we are pleased to report that, beginning immediately, the Company has accepted and implemented our recommendation that, whenever possible, two flight attendants work one single service cart. More details on this and other planned changes and improvements will be presented in a joint NWA/AFA-CWA email communication this week.
Even with these new service guidelines in place, your feedback remains invaluable. Follow these steps to file complaints and offer suggestions:
- Submit your concerns and opinions to Northwest Inflight Services via the Flight Attendant Communication Center:
- 1-866-612-0001 option 2;
- In MSP, 612-726-6990;
- ;
- or on ATLAS
- Submit your concerns and opinions to the MEC ASHS Service Subcommittee Chair Chris Smith at:
- or online via the Service Carts Feedback form, created especially for this purpose
Union representatives are not provided with FACC data, so you must submit your comments to both the FACC and AFA-CWA.
Thanks to everyone who participated by providing input to ASHS. You have helped us achieve these changes together.
Fly safely, stay healthy and remain vigilant!
Posted by Communications on 05/18 at 02:53 PM