Airport World
Amuj Agrawal
22 July 2024
Technology will help the world’s airports and their staff cope with rising temperatures and extreme weather events, writes AEM’s Anuj Agrawal.
As our planet warms, industries worldwide grapple with the escalating challenges posed by rising temperatures.
Arguably, few feel the heat more acutely than the aviation sector, where the delicate balance of safety, efficiency, and compliance hangs in the balance every day.
In North America, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – part of the US Department of Labor – is working towards new heat stress guidelines, and airports are proactively seeking advanced solutions to not just comply with regulations but to safeguard their workforce and ensure uninterrupted operations.
Airports are microcosms of activity, where every task, from baggage handling to aircraft maintenance, is performed under the watchful eye of safety regulations. Yet, the open tarmac, a vast expanse of concrete and asphalt, offers no respite from the sun’s relentless gaze.
Here, ground crews toil, often under extreme temperatures that can exceed the surrounding air temperature by several degrees, creating a ripe environment for heat stress.
