Schiphol does not sufficiently protect its employees against aircraft emissions. That reports the Labor Inspectorate Tuesday in a report that was written at the request of the trade union FNV. According to the inspectorate, the measures that the airport intends to take in the future are also not sufficient to properly protect the staff.
The violations are “large-scale and structural,” says the inspectorate. Since at least 2007, Schiphol has known that employees are exposed to carcinogenic substances, among other things. In future, Schiphol must expose employees less to exhaust gases in order to meet the requirements of the inspection.
One of the ways to do this is by allowing aircraft to taxi emission-free, as Schiphol did during the corona crisis. Then the airport conducted a test with a ‘taxibot’ that tows planes without having to turn on their jet engines. In 2030, these trolleys must take over the taxi process, but the Inspectorate does not see a concrete plan of action at Schiphol to achieve this. Aircraft also have to run the engines for less time at the gate if it is up to the inspection.
Taxibot
Schiphol late in a reaction know that the report is an ‘impossible mirror’. “It is clear that working conditions at Schiphol must be improved. That is also a priority in the new course that we have embarked on. Employees must have a healthy workplace. Of course, improvements have been made over the years, but it has to be faster and better,” said Schiphol CEO Ruud Sondag.
Schiphol says it is currently already conducting ‘experimental research’ into measures to clean the air, to create more distance between the source of the emissions and the employees, and to offer face masks. According to the Inspectorate, however, the plan of action ‘does not indicate within what period which measures will be taken’. A rule was recently introduced that requires aircraft to taxi with fewer engines and to limit the use of auxiliary engines.