Ground staff and other aviation workers are being routinely exposed to jet fuel fumes, diesel particulates and harmful ultraviolet radiation, hidden health threats that unions say have been overlooked for too long.
At its annual Congress today, the GMB union announced a new push to work with the Health and Safety Executive and employers to better protect workers at Britain’s airports.
The union has also launched a Workplace Exposure Register for Fumes and Dust through its legal arm, UnionLine. The register is designed to log incidents of chemical and fume exposure, potentially supporting future legal claims against employers who fail to provide safe working conditions.
Government figures from the HSE show that workplace exposure to chemicals and dust contributes to an estimated 13,000 deaths every year across all industries.
One former ground staff member, who left the job due to illness, described working for up to six hours at a time surrounded by aircraft and vehicle exhaust. He said the smell of fumes was pervasive and that dehydration was another serious risk, with no access to drinking water during shifts leading to colleagues collapsing.
Mike Reynolds, aviation worker and GMB delegate, told Congress: ‘As holidaymakers arrive to airports and board their flights this summer, aviation workers nationwide will be working hard to ensure they reach their destinations safely and comfortably.
‘However, the work we do at Britain’s airports poses a risk to our health and wellbeing on a daily basis.
‘Working outside for six hours or more impacts exposure to UV radiation, while aviation fumes and the emission of diesel particles from vehicles add up to a cocktail of chemicals and carcinogens.
‘Better monitoring of air-quality levels, stronger PPE controls, and employer assessment of cumulative UV and emissions exposure could all play a role in keeping aviation workers safe.’
The GMB said it intends to use the new register to hold irresponsible employers to account and push for systemic changes across the aviation sector.
Photo: Nihar Reddy Jangam
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