UAS: Occupational Safety & Health

Consider this scenario: A visual observer notices a UAS operator standing on the top step of a ladder to retrieve a drone caught in a tree. The observer states that he should not use the top step. The operator replies that it is the only way he can reach the drone. The visual observer tells him to be very careful and goes on to speak to the remote PIC about other issues. The operator subsequently falls from the ladder and sustains a serious injury. The injury renders him disabled and he is unable to return to work or gain employment elsewhere due to this injury.

The UAS Occupational Safety and Health module explains how all mishaps, like in this example, could have been prevented. OSHA compliance would have required a fall prevention program which includes training, safe work platforms for specific job tasks, and safety harnesses to name a few. UAS OSHA training is for both the employee and employer. It includes roles and responsibilities for all personnel, but it is the responsibility of the Remote UAS PIC to ensure a safe operating environment. The module includes 29 CFR 1910 OSHA standards, ergonomics, fall prevention, record-keeping, equipment, workers’ rights and use of Small Unmanned Aircraft System, and the National Business Aviation Association’s OSHA compliance checklist.