American Airlines: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Apr 22, 2018: Employee catches leg between bollard and tug and fractures i

At 12:03 p.m. on April 22, 2018, an employee was driving a tug out of the bag room at SFO Terminal 2 to pick up some baggage carts when she struck a bollard with the tugs left side. The employee caught her leg between the bollard and the tugs side, fracturing it. The employee was hospitalized.

Incident on Mar 18, 2017: Airport ramp operations worker sustains fractures in chest

At 9:00 a.m. on March 18, 2017, an employee was working for a firm engaged in airport operations. He was preparing to enter the cargo area of a 737 to turn off the oxygen (O2). The employee approached the aircraft on a cart used in airport ramp operations. As he was exiting the cart, his foot slipped onto the gas petal. The cart accelerated forward into the aircraft. The employee sustained fractures in three ribs and his sternum. He was hospitalized.

Incident on Dec 4, 2011: Employee slips and falls, sustains multiple injuries

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on December 4, 2011, Employee #1, an Aircraft Mainten ance Technician for American Airlines, was performing his regularly assigned dut ies in the Electrical and Equipment (E and E) bay of a 767 Boeing Airlines aircr aft. Employee #1 fell while conducting a routine inspection in the E and E bay, which he had done many times during his 15 year tenure with American Airlines (w ithout incident). Employee #1 stated that his left side of his body struck the c abinetry and steps located on the floor, where he fell. He stated there was no e vidence of any liquids or any other foreign objects or obstructions that caused him to fall. He also indicated that he may have been rushing to complete his wor k and had not been careful. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital for trea tment for an injury to his left shoulder, left chest and left hip area, and a pu nctured lung. There were no citations or violations issued for this incident.

Incident on Aug 6, 2010: Employee partially amputates finger while operating saw

On August 6, 2010, Employee #1 was operating a table saw when his right thumb co ntacted the saw blade. Employee #1 was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was hospitalized and treated for the partial amputation af his fingernail tip.

Incident on Feb 19, 2010: Employee's fingertip is injured in valve, is later amputated

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on February 19, 2010, Employee #1 was performing a v isual inspection of the engine of a Boeing MD-80 jetliner and was attempting to verify that no debris had been sucked into the valve. Employee #1 inserted his f inger into the anti-ice valve, it closed on his finger injuring the tip. Employe e #1 was admitted and treated at Scripps Mercy Hospital, where medical staff sha ved the distal tip of the finger bone constituting a surgical amputation. The em ployer met the reporting requirement when the notified OSHA of the injury at 10: 40 a.m. on February 20, 2010.

Incident on Oct 27, 2009: Employee's finger is crushed by jet engine, later amputated

On October 27, 2009, Employee #1, who was one of 1,500 American Airline employee s at Los Angeles International Airport, was performing his duties as an aircraft mechanic. Employee #1 and four other employees were attempting to lower a Pratt & Whitney Model Number JT8D9 jet engine from an MD-80 aircraft and mount it ont o a Stanley Aviation engine cradle (Model Number "110283"). A forklift was being used to lower the engine and align the engine mount with the engine cradle. Emp loyee #1's left pinky finger was crushed between the front right-hand engine mou nt and the engine cradle. Paramedics transported Employee #1 to Marina Del Rey H ospital, where he underwent surgery and was hospitalized for five days. The surg ery was unsuccessful, and Employee #1's finger was later amputated. Employee #1' s supervisor was in another part of the facility, when the accident occurred. Th e employer reported the accident to Los Angeles DOSH at 12:18 p.m. on November 2 , 2009. The investigation revealed that over the last 20 years, it had been comm on practice for employees to reach under and lift the front engine mounts, used with the Stanley Aviation cradles (Model Number "110283"), when Pratt & Whitney Model Number JT8D9 engines were lowered from MD-80 aircraft. The employer was ci ted for failure to report a serious injury within 24 hours and failure to identi fy an unsafe work practice.

Incident on Dec 10, 2008: Employee's finger is amputated by equipment

On December 10, 2008, Employee #1, a fleet service clerk with American Airlines, was loading an aircraft baggage container onto a transport dolly. He inadverten tly placed his right ring finger in a pinch point in between the container and t he edge of the dolly. Employee #1 was hospitalized for a partial finger amputati on.

Incident on Jun 24, 2008: Employee fractures foot when run-over by plane tire

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on June 24, 2008, Employee #1, a service clerk, was a ssisting in the towing of a 757 aircraft. While the plane was being towed, Emplo yee #1 followed its movement with chocks in hand. As the plane was still in moti on, Employee #1 chocked the back of the main left gear and then proceeded to cho ck the front of the tires. Despite being chocked, the aircraft continued to roll back several feet. Employee #1 checked the push-out driver to see why the plane was still moving. During the investigation of the planes movement, Employee #1 did not notice that his right foot was in the path of the front plane tire. The tire rolled over Employee #1's right foot, fracturing his big toe. Emergency ser vices were contacted and Employee #1 was taken to a nearby medical facility, whe re he was hospitalized and treated for his injury.

Incident on Nov 17, 2007: Employee amputates fingers while working baggage conveyor

At approximately 12:20 p.m. on November 17, 2007, Employee #1 was working at the top of baggage conveyor pier Number 2 and was resting his hand on the conveyor belt. The baggage conveyor system's sensors are designed to detect outbound bagg age coming down the chute; the sensors automatically trigger the conveyor belt t o run when the baggage come down the chute. At the time of the incident, there w as baggage coming down the conveyor and the photo eye sensors triggered the conv eyor belt to run while Employee #1 rested his hand at the tail end pulley of the conveyor belt. The top conveyor belt pulled Employee #1's hand through an ungua rded opening and wedged it between the tail end pulley of the conveyor belt and the transfer ramp. Employee #1 sustained serious multiple fingers amputations. E mployee #1 was hospitalized.

Incident on May 30, 2007: Employee is injured in fall from conveyor belt

At approximately 11:30 p.m. on May 30, 2007, an employee was working as a fleet service clerk operating a conveyor belt loader. The conveyor belt loader loaded or unloaded luggage to airplanes. The employee positioned the belt loader to the cargo compartment. He then proceeded up the belt loader to open the cargo door, when he reached the top; he leaned forward with his left hand toward the door h andle, but lost his balance. When he tried to regain it back by placing his left hand back on the loader, he misjudged the width of the belt loader and his hand missed, causing him to fall over the left side of the loader. The employee fell off belt loader Number 18917 and fractured six ribs and left ankle. He fell app roximately 5.5 feet off the left side of the loader to the ground floor. Paramed ics were called and treated him on the ramp. The employee was then taken by ambu lance to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with six frac tured ribs. On May 31, 2007, the medical center was planning to release the empl oyee, when they discovered that the employee's left foot and ankle had also been broken in the fall. The employee was kept over night, and surgery was scheduled to insert two pins to stabilize his foot. Additional test and scans were also b e done to make sure no other issues are missed.

Incident on Jul 29, 2005: Employee is injured in fall from stairs

On July 29, 2005, Employee #1 and two coworkers were assigned to move an aircraf t from an overnight area to the gate. Employee #1, an aircraft brake operator, c ontrolled the airplane from inside the cockpit. The coworkers were a guideman, w ho operated the tow tractor to pull the airplane to the gate, and a wing walker, who operated the push back tug and watched the blindside of the airplane as it was being relocated. The aircraft was parked in the remain overnight area. The g uideman pushed the portable staircase, Wasp Model Number AO4836D, to the airplan e. Employee #1 then attached the staircase to the rear of the tow tractor and wa lked up the staircase to enter the aircraft. Employee #1 tried to open the airpl ane door, and did not get enough leverage to completely open it. The door opened only half-way. Employee #1 thought that too much force was required for opening the door. He did not want to risk an injury, so he closed the door to try to op en the door again with better leverage. As he did this, the guideman thought he was inside the airplane, and drove the stairs away. Employee #1 was still at the top of the stairs and lost his balance, falling 14 ft. He sustained a shattered right elbow (compound fracture) and hairline fracture of the pelvis/hip. Employ ee #1 was transported to a medical center, where he was hospitalized.

Incident on Jun 20, 2005: Employee is injured by airplane electric belt loader

On June 20, 2005, Employee #1 was working alone and was inspecting an electric b elt loader, Unit Number 18937. The belt loader was used to transport baggage, pa ckages, and materials into the cargo hold of an aircraft. The employee elevated the loader to perform the inspection while the loader was operating and inadvert ently put his arm against the moving conveyor which caused his arm to be drawn i nto and past the tension roller. He was able to stop the device by pressing the emergency stop; however, he was unable to pull his arm out without loosening the tension roller from the conveyor. He was extricated from the loader by coworker s and was transported by emergency services to UCLA Medical Center where he rece ived treatment and surgery for an open fracture of his left radius and ulna. Fur ther investigation found that the nip point between the single tension pulley an d the conveyor belt was not guarded.

Incident on Sep 17, 2004: Employee fractures leg when he falls from a truck

At approximately 4:00 to 4:15 p.m. on September 17, 2004, Employee #1 was servic ing the lavatory on a MD80 airplane. He was operating a vehicle lavatory truck w ith a 4-tier working platform with a slip resistant surface. He backed the vehic le underneath the rear of the plane and went to the rear of the truck. He steppe d onto the platform and opened the outer door to the lavatory. He removed the ca p, flushed, cleaned, and charged the system. While standing or stepping off the platform he tripped or lost his balance and fell backwards off the platform, app roximately 24-36 inches onto the concrete surface. Employee #1 received a fractu re bone in his lower leg, and a slight cut to the head. He was hospitalized.

Incident on Sep 24, 2004: Employee fractures ankle in fall from elevated platform

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on September 24, 2004, Employee #1, a Stock Clerk, wa s assigned to dismantle a rack shelf Hanger 3 shipping and receiving area of LA International Airport. Employee #1 had used the forks of an industrial truck to raise to the height of the shelf and then climbed onto the shelf in order to gai n access and remove equipment from the shelf. He was walking on the plywood shel f five to six ft high. The plywood shelf could not support his weight and collap sed, causing the employee to fall. The accident resulted in a fractured ankle, w hich required surgery and hospitalization for 3 days.

Incident on Oct 7, 2003: Employee's ankle run over by bag tractor

At approximately 7:15 p.m. on October 7, 2003, an employee for American Airlines , Inc. was driving a bag tractor towing four carts. The employee left one of the carts at the rear of the plane for rear compartment luggage, and then drove the remaining three carts to the front of the plane. After the employee brought the bag tractor to a stop, the employee stepped off of the tractor without first ap plying the parking brakes. The employee's left ankle became pinned, and run over by the left wheel of the bag tractor. The sustained a serious injury to his lef t lower leg. The employee was transported to the hospital where he was treated f or a broken left lower leg.

Incident on Jul 18, 2002: Employee's finger lacerated when struck by falling container

At approximately 11:00 p.m. on July 18, 2002, Employee #1 was serving as a crew leader of a team that consisted of a loader, a driver, and a utility man. They w ere at the runway apron at Gate Number 47B at the LAX airport. They were off-loa ding inbound flight Number 284 from Honolulu when the last loaded LD3 baggage co ntainer got stuck to the dolly. The crew pushed and pulled to dislodge the bagga ge container. Employee #1 was pushing the load with one hand and holding the loc k with his other hand when the container suddenly dropped, pinning his hand agai nst the dolly. He deeply lacerated his left index finger and was hospitalized.

Incident on Jun 18, 2000 (fatal): Employee killed when crushed by baggage cart

Employee #1 was driving a baggage tug with two attached baggage carts. He had ju st turned a corner when the last cart struck a building support column. The cart was tipped up in the air and came to rest on its right side wheels. Employee #1 was trying to lower the cart by pulling on the side that was elevated when it c ame down suddenly, crushing him. Employee #1 was killed.

Incident on Oct 30, 1999: Empoyee fractured leg due to fall from platform

At approximately 4:45 p.m. on October 30, 1999, a junior fleet service clerk was working at gate 47B of the Los Angeles airport. The employee climbed to the fol ding upper-most section of a maintenance stand. Prior to climbing, the employee was supposed to lock the upper most section of the stand with two pins. However, since these pins were difficult to place, only one was partially locked. While the employee was working on the platform, the top section gave way and dropped b ack, causing the employee to fall 7.5 feet to the ground. He suffered multiple f ractures to his left leg and was hospitalized. The stand did not have any fall p rotection.

Incident on Jan 25, 1996: Employee injured in fall when ladder stand moves

On January 31, 1996, Employee #1, an aircraft mechanics for American Airlines, L os Angeles, CA, was performing his assigned tasks. A mobile ladder stand was pos itioned at the front door on the port side of a DC 10. As Employee #1 stepped ou t of the aircraft, a friend drove from under the aircraft in an electric scooter and began talking to him about lunch. The scooter driver was looking upward as he talked and ran into the ladder stand. The stand shoved away from the aircraft just as Employee #1 stepped out of the door. He hung briefly onto the ladder st and and then fell 12 to 15 ft onto a concrete surface, fracturing his ankle. The ladder stand was unlocked at the time of the accident.

Incident on Dec 17, 1994: Employee's leg fractured by flying aircraft wheel chock

At about 11:45 p.m. on December 17, 1994, Employee #1 was a member of a three-pe rson ground crew that was guiding an aircraft to its parking spot at an airport gate. It was dark and raining at the time, and the captain was having trouble al igning with the lead-in line. Wheel chocks were already in position near the lea d-in, but the aircraft nose wheel inadvertently ran over one of the chocks, caus ing it to shoot off to one side. It struck Employee #1 and broke her leg.

Incident on Nov 8, 1994: Employee injured when caught between two fleet service tugs

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on November 8, 1994, Employee #1, a fleet service cle rk employed by American Airlines, was on the arrival/departure ramp at Gate #43A of the American Airlines terminal, Los Angeles International Airport. He was st anding in front of a fleet service tug, trying to retrieve a flashlight to be us ed to position arriving aircraft. While he was standing next to the tug, he was struck from behind by another fleet service tug, which was maneuvering to turn a round. Employee #1 was caught between the two tugs. He was transported by L.A. f ire paramedics to UCLA Medical Center for treatment.

Incident on Jul 28, 1994: Employee's leg injured when run over by tow tractor

A crew of ramp servicemen was waiting for the arrival of a flight at gate 65 of the San Francisco International Airport. The tow-tractor operator had just hooke d-in-tow four container dollies and was preparing to hook up more dollies. As he pulled out, he heard screams and people shouting at him to stop. Employee #1, p art of the crew, had been standing between the last two dollies. He was struck b y the dolly and his right leg was run over and fractured by its wheel. The emplo yee was not visible from the operator's seat and the tow-tractor operator did no t make sure that everybody was in the clear before pulling out.

Incident on Mar 8, 1994: Employee runs over own leg with electric cart

When Employee #1, the operator, parked an electric cart, he allegedly shifted th e directional gear lever to neutral, but forgot to engage the parking brake (per witness) before stepping off. The operator's seat is directly over the left fro nt wheel and is low enough that the operator's left foot can rest on the ground while still seated. The front wheels were turned to the left and the left wheel was protruding. Since the cart had not come to a full stop, the instant Employee #1 stepped off, left foot first, the wheel caught his left shoe and pulled him forward. His right arm may have re-engaged the directional lever back to forward and his right knee may have depressed the accelerator pedal, causing the cart t o lurch forward. The left wheel ran over Employee #1's ankle and foot.

Incident on Jul 29, 1993: Employee's foot crushed by industrial truck

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS RIDING ON THE LEFT FRONT FENDER OF A ONE-SEAT, OPEN CAB, TUG IND USTRIAL TRUCK THAT WAS RETURNING TO GATE 42A OF AMERICAN AIRLINES AT LAX INTERNA TIONAL AIRPORT. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK. EMPLOYEE #1 JUMPED OFF O F THE LEFT FRONT FENDER BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, CATCHING HIS LEFT FOOT UNDER THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. EMPLOYEE #1 CRUSHED HIS FOOT AND ANKLE, SU FFERING MULTIPLE BROKEN BONES AND A SEVERED ARTERY. HIS FOOT WAS AMPUTATED AT TH E HOSPITAL DUE TO DIABETIC COMPLICATIONS.