Piedmont Airlines failed to follow safety procedures before a worker was sucked into a jet engine and killed in December, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a $15,000 citation against the American Airlines subsidiary.
“Proper training and enforcement of safety procedures could have prevented this tragedy,” OSHA Area Director Jose Gonzalez said in bulletin. “This incident is a tragic reminder that safety measures must be in place even for a routine assignment.”
An investigation into the incident found that 34-year-old Courtney Edwards was placing cones around the Embraer E75 airplane when the engine pulled her in. OSHA cited the company for a serious violation for exposing workers to ingestion hazards.
The airline has 15 days to comply or contest the allegations.
American Airlines and Piedmont said in statements that officials there were devastated by the accident, and that safety remains top priority.
A preliminary National Transportation and Safety Board report in January said the ground crews had been briefed on the safety procedures, and Edwards may not have kept a safe distance from the jet intake, according to news reports.
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