20 New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health
Employers must ensure fall protection when mechanical conveyances are used to lift or lower cabin
cleaners or other personnel. In general, use of a powered industrial truck, such as a high lift truck, to lift or
lower personnel is permitted only if the machine supporting the personnel platform was designed for that
purpose, if both the machine and platform meet requirements for capacity, construction, access, use, and
fall protection, and if neither have been altered or modied without authorization since manufacture. Only
a trained and authorized person is permitted to operate a powered industrial truck.
Employers must provide proper, safe ground transportation to and from planes for cabin cleaners. In
general, personnel platforms on powered industrial trucks (mobile power-propelled trucks designed to
carry, push, pull, lift, or stack materials) should not be used to transport personnel from one location to
another. Passenger vans and trucks must be equipped with seats and seatbelts and should be enclosed on
all sides. Passengers should be seated with seatbelts buckled on.
Employers must comply with the requirements of the OSHA Walking/Working Surfaces Standard (29 CFR
1910 Subpart D) which requires that walking and working surfaces be kept free of hazards. In particular,
employers should ensure that ramps and other surfaces are de-iced and cleared of snow, ice, and moisture
which could cause slips, trips, or falls.
Employers should implement proactive ergonomics programs to prevent or reduce musculoskeletal
injuries. An ergonomics program should include identication of risk factors like pushing, pulling, or
lifting luggage or other heavy loads, frequency and weight of loads, handling loads below knee height or
above shoulder height, and handling with arms extended away from the body or twisting the upper body.
Solutions might include minimizing carry distances, modifying equipment to eliminate handling loads
below knee or above shoulder height, team lifting or use of mechanical lift equipment, training in safe
handling techniques, and adequate breaks and rest periods.
Employers should eliminate or reduce worker exposure to diesel emissions and carbon monoxide.
Employers should assess the workplace to identify all potential sources of carbon monoxide and diesel
and other emissions. Employers must provide training to exposed or potentially exposed workers about
the hazards and symptoms of exposure. Idling of fossil fuel-powered vehicles and equipment should
be prohibited; vehicles and equipment should be powered o when not in active use. Use of fossil fuel-
powered vehicles and equipment should be prohibited inside buildings, in partially enclosed areas, or
near outside air intakes. Consideration should be given to switching over to battery- or electric-powered
vehicles and equipment where practical. Consideration should be given to implementing emissions-based
maintenance programs; these can reduce workplace exposures by 50 percent or greater. Consideration
should be given to use of diesel exhaust lters, although these require high maintenance, low sulfur fuel,
and diesel oxidation catalysts.
Occupational stress is a health condition that results from the impact of working conditions on the
worker. The work process, management style, career concerns, and environmental conditions can
all contribute to occupational stress. NYCOSH supports the guidelines of the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, a federal agency), which recommends that employer actions to
reduce job stress “should give top priority to organizational change to improve working conditions.”