A federal judge recently affirmed safety penalties against United Airlines following a distressing incident in 2021 where an employee lost five toes after being run over by an aircraft tire. The ruling permits the Occupational Safety & Hazard Administration (OSHA) to impose a fine of $14,502 on the airline for the accident that took place on November 24, 2021, at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The decision from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission came in April, but United Airlines challenged it with an appeal filed last month. OSHA has emphasized that adherence to established safety protocols could have averted the accident.
The employee involved was part of United’s towing crew. The investigation by OSHA highlighted a failure by United Airlines to adhere to its own safety procedures for towing aircraft, specifically a jet weighing up to 50 tons. “United Airlines could have prevented an employee from suffering a debilitating injury had the company followed its own safety procedures for towing a jet weighing as much as 50 tons,” stated Joseph Czapik, OSHA Area Director in Parsipanny. He further noted that handling such heavy machinery is a recognized hazard in the airline industry, necessitating strict compliance with safety protocols to prevent severe injuries or fatal outcomes.
Moreover, the judge’s decision underscored that the airline had exposed its technicians to significant risks. United Airlines maintained that the incident was due to employee misconduct, a claim that has now been formally reviewed and adjudicated with this latest ruling.
As of now, United Airlines has not issued a public comment on the decision as per NJ Advance Media’s request.