Safe skies: Air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers to undergo breath test by year-end

NEW DELHI: By the end of this year, airports across India will begin conducting breath analyser (BA) tests on aviation personnel like air traffic controllers (ATCOs), people driving vehicles in the operational areas, firefighters and aircraft maintenance engineers.
So far only pilots and cabin crew have to clear BA tests to ensure they are perfectly sober before being allowed to operate flights.But Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar has now expanded the scope of this test to all aviation personnel providing critical services as it is essential they are not tipsy when on the job.
The tests will kick off by October 30 at ten of India’s busiest airports that include the six metros, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Lucknow and Guwahati. By November-end, 33 more airports including Jaipur, Vadodara, Srinagar, Mangalore and Juhu (Mumbai) will start conducting these tests. By the year-end all licensed airports will need to do so.
The categories of aviation employees who will now have to clear the tipsy test include aircraft maintenance engineers; drivers of fuelling and catering vehicles; aerobridge operators; rescue and fire fighting personnel (ARFF); ATCOs and flight dispatchers.
“At least 10% individuals involved in the above mentioned activities, employed in their respective organisations (category wise) shall be randomly subjected to BA examination on a daily basis… The (airport operator) management shall be responsible for the conduct of BA test on the personnel of the ground handling agency and aerodrome operational personnel, while airlines, air navigation service provider, maintenance organisations for their employees,” a statement issued by DGCA said.
Personnel found BA positive (read tipsy) for the first time or those who refuse to undergo/evade the test, “shall be kept off duty and their license/approval shall be suspended for a period of three months. For non-licensed/non approval holder, they will be removed from safety sensitive functions for a period of three months.”
In case of second violation, license or approval issued by DGCA “shall be suspended for one year.” And non-licensed personnel will be removed from safety sensitive functions for a year. In case of third violation, “the license/approval issued by DGCA of the personnel shall be suspended for three years while the non-licensed personnel shall be removed for a period for three years from the safety sensitive functions.”
Fourth violation will lead to cancellation of DGCA license or approval for licensed personnel and non-licensed personnel “shall be removed permanently.”
Airport operators will devise a suitable punishment like temporary or permanent grounding for ground handling personnel who do not have any license or approval, the concerned aerodrome.
“Employer/organisations conducting BA test shall maintain records of BA examination for personnel for a period of one year,” the statement says.