As the aviation industry struggles to recover and keep its workers and passengers safe during the COVID-19 crisis, it’s important that airlines don’t neglect the potential workplace hazards that its contracted workers face at their airport operations.

In our latest bulletin, “Is Menzies’ History of Hazardous Worker Safety Putting Workers at Risk?”, we outline facts about Menzies’ worker health and safety record:

• $580,225 in fines and judgments levied against Menzies Aviation over worker health & safety violations since 2012.
• Menzies’ former Director of Health, Safety and Environment for U.S. operations, William Larion, alleges in a November 2019 lawsuit that the company terminated him after he reported numerous safety hazards by the company at BWI Airport.
• The State of Maryland issued two “Serious” health and safety citations and $5,400 in fines against Menzies in July 2019. After a second complaint was filed, the State of Maryland issued Menzies four additional “Serious” violations and fined the company $9,025 in February 2020.
• In 2016, Menzies was fined a total of $62,000 by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) concerning 16 violations of state worker health and safety laws at SEA – 12 (75%) of those violations were deemed “serious” with the maximum fine of $7,000 imposed for 7 of these “serious” violations.
• Menzies’ safety record came under intense scrutiny following a fatal accident at LAX in 2014 that resulted in the death of Menzies ramp worker Cesar Valenzuela when he was thrown from his tow tractor and pinned under one of the tires. The vehicle did not have functioning seat belt. Valenzuela was the fourth worker to die following a workplace accident in the company’s California operations since 2006. Cal/OSHA issued fines against the company totaling $77,250 for what it termed serious accident related safety violations. Mr. Valenzuela’s death follows Menzies’ LAX operation fined $94,550 in 2013 for numerous violations including the type of safety violations that can cause serious harm or death.
• In May 2012, a Portland jury found in favor of Menzies workers who claimed they were fired after filing a safety complaint that triggered a state inspection; the jury awarded the workers $332,000.

Airlines contracting with Menzies Aviation are strongly encouraged to share this bulletin with its airport operations staff and evaluate the potential operational risks Menzies’ worker health and safety record poses to their business.

Read the full bulletin here: Is Menzies’ History of Hazardous Worker Safety Putting Workers at Risk?