‘Schiphol staff insufficiently protected against emissions’

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Schiphol does not adequately protect its staff against exposure to harmful aircraft emissions. This is the conclusion of the Dutch Labor Inspectorate. The shortcomings appear in a draft decision by the Labor Inspectorate. Schiphol can still express its views on this before the regulator reaches a final decision.

According to the Labor Inspectorate, the plans to minimize this exposure are also insufficient. That is why Schiphol must ‘deploy adequate work resources to enable staff to work more safely’. The degree and duration of exposure must also be reduced. This can be done, for example, by allowing aircraft to taxi emission-free at the airport, by using so-called taxibots that can move the aircraft across the site.

KLM baggage handling at Schiphol Airport.  Schiphol does not adequately protect its staff against exposure to harmful aircraft emissions.  This is the conclusion of the Dutch Labor Inspectorate.
KLM baggage handling at Schiphol Airport. Schiphol does not adequately protect its staff against exposure to harmful aircraft emissions. This is the conclusion of the Dutch Labor Inspectorate. (ANP / ANP)

The plan is to have this done by 2030, but the Labor Inspectorate is missing an elaboration of this in an action plan. The way in which Schiphol intends to reduce the harmful substances to which staff are exposed is also missing. The action plan ‘does not indicate within what period which measures will be taken’, the Inspectorate concludes.

The regulator has given Schiphol until the end of this year to further develop its action plan. With regard to aircraft emissions, the airport must have ‘drawn up a fully phased plan’ by the end of 2024 at the latest.

Mirror ‘not to be ignored’

According to Schiphol, the airport is held up to a ‘mirror that cannot be ignored’. ‘It is clear that working conditions at Schiphol must be improved. That is also a priority in the new course that we have embarked on. Employees must have a healthy workplace. Of course improvements have been made over the years, but it has to be faster and better,’ says Schiphol CEO Ruud Sondag.

The airport says it is already trying to reduce exposure to harmful emissions. For example, Schiphol allows aircraft to taxi with fewer engines. Measures are also being taken to increase the distance between the source of the emissions and employees. Schiphol is also investigating how air quality can be improved.

It is not the first time that working conditions at Schiphol have come under the magnifying glass of the Labor Inspectorate. In March, the regulator demanded that six companies that arrange baggage handling at the airport must immediately deploy tools for employees who do heavy hauling work.

FNV: clear conclusion

According to the trade union FNV, employees at Schiphol have been ‘willingly and knowingly’ exposed to excessively high concentrations of emissions for more than fifteen years. The findings of the Labor Inspectorate show that ‘financial growth has taken precedence over health and even workers’ lives’. ‘The facts from this report show that the time of non-commitment is over,’ says FNV Vice-President Kitty Jong.

FNV already submitted an enforcement request to the Labor Inspectorate in December 2021. The union is happy that there is now a report. “We want to get going right away. Don’t consult endlessly, but make concrete agreements with the employers and the Schiphol Group,’ argues FNV director Jaap de Bie. ‘For years, Schiphol has opted for cheap labor instead of good and healthy work. Again Schiphol employees are the losers.’ De Bie now wants concrete agreements with the employers and the Schiphol Group as soon as possible.


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