It looks like Aberdeen (EGPD) has finally succumbed to HSEPC....email from Airport "Airside Delivery Manager":
"I am seeing an increase of members of the GA community airside without any high viz clothing on. Granted it is in a leased area however we have an MDD which states it must be worn at all times while airside."
If you look at the airfield chart Hold point E1 you will see that the GA area is effectively isolated from any other part of the airport...there is no connecting apron to anyone else....but it is part of their "MDD" whatever that is...in fact, not an increase; no-one has ever worn a hi-viz vest on this apron!
The two dangerous things on an airfield are Propellers and AVGAS! Neither can recognise high vis clothing, but both can make mincemeat of the wearer!
Obelix comment: "ils sont fous, les Anglais".
Ah yes, the cover-your-ass culture we seem to have developed! I don't doubt litigation by no-win-no-fee lawyers has had an effect, but I think the fear of litigation has had a worse effect. Lawsuits aren't all that common but fear of them is far more common.
Jan: that is indeed correct! :) Although it's not just the English: "ils sont fous, les Britanniques"...or even: "ils sont fous, les gens".
I think a lot of this crap is your insurer telling you that you need to do x y z.
At work (a small 1500 sq. ft. office) we have to have a total of 26A water fire extinguisher capability. No reason. It's just a regulation. We had 21A in water and another 20A or so in powder and more in CO2, but, no, it had to be 26A in water.
The insurer tried damn hard to steer us towards their own fire applicance franchise (Chubb) but I told them to get stuffed; they wanted £80 for a 21A unit when you can get them on Amazon for half that, delivered, and including VAT which we obviously reclaim. In fact I can buy new ones on Amazon for less than the service company charges for servicing them.
There are so many scams going. You create a regulatory opportunity and there will be unlimited numbers of former ISO9000 quality managers looking to dive in there.
We also need to do an electrical system survey every 5 years or they will pull our insurance cover. The wiring is only 15 years old...
Lawsuits aren't all that common but fear of them is far more common.
Exactly.
The problem is that if you go to a cheap lawyer (say £300/hr or less 
) and ask him "is there a risk" his answer will always be YES. If you go to a top lawyer who is a specialist he will say something like "there is no case law on this, but if you do this and this that is enough due diligence".
Another problem is that insurers don't like to fight cases; they write almost anybody (who makes enough noise) a cheque for c. £10k to get them off their back, so anybody who wants a bit of tax free money for a broken toenail has a go.
Just ignore it.
Just ignore it.
I intend to...but I doubt I will get away with it...I think it has technically been a requirement to wear the vests for quite some time but because we are quite isolated in our corner of the airfield it was a case of "dont ask, dont tell".....unfortunately it looks like some jobsworth thought it his duty to "ask"....so the manager has no option.....as with all these things, once it's out there it's almost impossible to go back....
Personally I'd just wear it. A Hi-Viz jacket is one of the few things in Aviation that doesnt cost a lot of money. A number of large and small airfields I have visited request or require it, and if thats what they want, I am not too worried. You cant prevent all accidents, and a Hi-Viz isnt going to make a huge difference, but if some one is walking around in between aircraft just before you start up, you will more likely see him (or her) in the corner of your eye if they are glowing like a bright yellow Ready Brek man.
I can't see why everyone gets worked up about Hi-Viz kits - is it such a problem?
Having said that, on a recent check @ EGKA, an instructor was told off for wearing one in the a/c - inflammable, fire risk apparently.
