WAC 296-829-300 Maintenance

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Your Responsibility:

To keep helicopters in safe operating condition

You must

WAC 296-829-30005

Keep landing and deposit areas safe

You must

(1) Make sure precautions are taken to prevent loose objects from being caught in the downwash and flying around.

• Secure or remove all loose gear:
  • - Within 100 feet of lift and deposit areas
  • - In all other areas affected by rotor downwash.

(2) Make sure employees don't work under hovering craft, except where necessary to hook or unhook loads.

(3) Make sure safe access and exit, including an emergency escape route, is provided for employees who hook or unhook loads.

(4) Prohibit open fires in any area that could be affected by the rotor downwash.

(5) Make sure unauthorized people don't go within 50 feet of the helicopter when the rotor blades are turning.

(6) Make sure all employees:

• Stay in full view of the pilot, in a crouched position, when approaching or leaving a helicopter with rotating blades
• Stay away from the area behind the cockpit or cabin unless the operator authorizes them to work there.

(7) Take precautions to eliminate reduced visibility.

(8) Make sure ground personnel take special care to stay clear of rotors when visibility is reduced by dust or other conditions.

WAC 296-829-30010

Follow safe refueling procedures

You must

• Make sure refueling areas are safe.
  • - Post “NO SMOKING” signs at all entrances to the refueling area.
  • - Provide at least one 30-pound fire extinguisher, or a combination totaling 30 pounds, good for class A, B, and C fires, within 100 feet on the upwind side of the refueling operation.

You must

• Make sure workers involved in refueling are trained in both:
  • - The refueling operation
  • and
  • - The use of fire extinguishing equipment they may need.
• Make sure the following precautions are taken before and during refueling:
  • - Keep unauthorized people at least 50 feet away from the refueling operation or equipment
  • - Prohibit smoking and open flames within 50 feet of the refueling area or fueling equipment
  • - Make sure helicopter engines are shut down before refueling, if using aviation gasoline or jet B type fuel
  • - Pump fuel, either by hand or power.
  • - Use self-closing nozzles or deadman controls:
    • Don't allow these to be blocked open
  • - Make sure nozzles aren't dragged along the ground.
  • - Make sure the helicopter and the fueling equipment are grounded.
  • - Electrically bond the fueling nozzle to the helicopter:
    • Don't use conductive hose for this bonding.
  • - Make sure all grounding and bonding connections are:
    • Electrically and mechanically firm
    • On clean unpainted metal part.
• Stop fueling immediately if there's a spill:
  • - Don't continue operation until the person in charge has determined it's safe.