Workplace watchdog orders Qantas to improve aircraft cleaning

Qantas has been told to improve the cleaning of its aircraft after an inspection revealed problems such as workers cleaning tray tables with the same wet cloth without disinfectant. SafeWork NSW issued the airline with an improvement notice after a  February 26 inspection of the airline's cleaning practices on a Sydney aircraft. It said workers and others may have been at risk of injury or illness from “the inadequate system of work” used to clean planes transporting passengers with an infectious disease. READ: Etihad scolds A380 pilots for spectacular landing The workplace safety watchdog told the airline it must develop and maintain a safe system to work to clean aircraft that minimize the risk of “workers and others to infectious diseases, including the novel coronavirus COVID 19”. The notice, seen by AirlineRatings, said fleet presentation crew had been observed cleaning a Qantas aircraft “where they were required to handle wet and used tissues, used face masks, soiled nappies and the workers advised they occasionally have to clean blood and vomit off surfaces”. “PPE (personal protective equipment) was not mandated for the majority of these tasks,’’ it said.  “I also observed workers wiping over multiple tray tables with the same wet cloths with no disinfectant and cleaning unknown liquids on floors and surfaces.’’ Qantas said it was investigating the SafeWork NSW claim after the inspector observed an aircraft being cleaned in Sydney last week. It insisted all its aircraft were thoroughly cleaned after each international flight. “All of our fleet presentation teams are provided with personal protective equipment for cleaning the aircraft and for more hazardous items, we have additional equipment such as masks and safety suits,’’ a spokesman said. The Transport Workers’ Union, which is at loggerheads with the Qantas Group over other industrial issues, said the investigation followed the suspension by Qantas of a worker who raised concerns about coronavirus. It noted Qantas also sent a letter on January 31 formally directing the employee to clean planes, including those originating at the time in China. This was just prior to the travel ban on China and Qantas suspending flights. “The Safe Work NSW improvement notice reflects the concerns the worker, an elected and trained health and safety representative, raised on the day Qantas stood him down, including the lack of safety systems and the risk of contracting the virus,’’ TWU NSW branch secretary Richard Olsen said. “His colleagues shared his concerns and 100 of them signed a petition calling for him to be reinstated. “Workers are worried about the risk to passengers, themselves and their families because of Qantas’s refusal to provide training and protective gear since this outbreak began.”

The union called on Qantas to engage infection control experts and to meet the SafeWork NSW demands. It said Air China resumed flights to Australia on Wednesday and Qantas ground workers were cleaning and servicing the flights. Workers at some airports had been issued the guidelines about resumed flights while those at other facilities had not. "Workers are worried and are contacting us daily about their concerns,’’ TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said. “They live in fear about contracting or spreading the virus but are terrified to speak out because of the corporate bullying attitude of Qantas. This must end so Australia can deal with this virus in a calm and responsible manner."