Slip and falls while operating pushback vehicles

Some people who work in airports in Colorado must work with and around pushback vehicles. These robotic tractors help to push airplanes away from the gates without the jets having to use reverse thrust. While using pushback procedures can help to get aircraft in place to prepare for takeoff, working with and around these vehicles can expose airport workers to injury risks.

Types of risks involved with pushback vehicles

Airport workers face multiple risks when they work with pushback vehicles. When workers get on or off pushback vehicles, they can slip and fall because of slippery surfaces on the vehicles or the ground. Workers might also fall from ramps or get loose clothing stuck in the vehicles’ parts.

Debris on the ground might cause workers to trip and fall. When the vehicles are moving, workers might be thrown off and injured. The pushback vehicles might malfunction. Finally, workers who are not paying enough attention might be struck by pushback vehicles when they walk in their paths.

Minimizing risks from pushback vehicles

To avoid being injured, workers should always wear sturdy shoes when working near or with pushback vehicles. Their shoes should have good tread to improve traction when walking on slick surfaces. Workers should not text or call on their smartphones while walking near pushback vehicles.

People who are operating the vehicles should be careful when mounting and dismounting and should remain alert for other workers on the ground. Airports should make sure that debris is cleared from the cabs of the vehicles and from the ground.

Getting help for work-related injuries

Airport employees face multiple risks when they are working on the job. People who suffer airline and airport worker injuries are entitled to pursue workers’ compensation claims. Injured workers do not have to prove that their employers were negligent to recover benefits when their accidents and injuries occurred at work.

By filing workers’ compensation claims, employees might recover compensation to pay for all of their medical bills and related treatment costs. If they are unable to return to work because of their injuries, either temporarily or permanently, they might also recover disability benefits to replace a percentage of their incomes.

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