514 EM 385-1-1 Chapters 30-37

32-8. General Requirements.

General Airfield Safety and Planning

The Airfield Manager must understand the interplay between construction activities and aircraft operations to ensure safety and minimize disruptions. This includes the need for obstruction marking, lighting, and pre-work coordination activities such as communicating with relevant authorities and filing necessary forms.
All safety requirements, including those specific to airfields and any additional stringent measures, must be adhered to.
Runways must not be used for non-operational purposes unless closed and marked or approved by the USACE supervisor, KO, or COR. Paved surfaces must be kept clean, especially from FOD, using appropriate equipment and methods.

Equipment and Material Management

Mobile equipment not in use must be removed from critical areas as approved by the USACE supervisor, KO, or COR.
Landing areas must only contain approved objects, and all vehicle access requires approval from the Airfield Manager. Keep communication lines open with ATC when working in these areas.
Do not place equipment or materials within safety precaution areas without the necessary approvals. Any object projecting above clearance surfaces must be marked with a red light.

Excavation Management

Manage open trenches or excavations according to strict guidelines regarding their presence in RSA or Taxiway Surface Areas, including covering and marking them appropriately.
Mark and light open trenches and excavations at construction sites as per the requirements, ensuring visibility and compliance with luminance standards.
Ensure red lights, either steady or flashing, are used to mark hazards, are adequately spaced, and operate during necessary hours or visibility conditions.

Vehicle Requirements

Attach visible flags to vehicles not routinely traversing the air operations area (AOA) or those without an escort in constant communication with ATC.
Provide flags for all vehicles at airports lacking ATC facilities, ensuring they meet the specified size and pattern requirements.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

32-4. Who must understand the interplay between airfield construction activities and aircraft operations to ensure safety and minimize disruptions?

The Competent Person (CP)

The Airfield Manager

The Qualified Person (QP)

The USACE Supervisor

You forgot to answer the question!

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 32-8 (a.–c.).

32-8. General Requirements. (a.–c.).

a.  General. (32-8.a)

(1)  Airports and airfields are complex environments and procedures and conditions associated with construction activities often affect aircraft operations and can jeopardize operational safety.  Safety considerations are paramount and may make operational impacts unavoidable.  However, careful planning, scheduling, and coordination of construction activities can minimize disruption of normal aircraft operations and avoid situations that compromise the airport’s operational safety.  The Airfield Manager must understand how construction activities and aircraft operations affect one another.  This understanding is critical to develop an effective plan to complete the work.  Only after allowing a determination if the proposed construction or other work would have a hazardous effect on air navigation, the plan would identify the need for obstruction marking and lighting, or other measures necessary to ensure safe airspace. Prior to work, various coordination activities, (for example, communicate with Airfield Manager, file FAA Form 7460-1 (Notice of Proposed Construction or Alternation) see para 32-10, file Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM), DoD notifications) must be conducted.

(2)  The following safety requirements are in addition to the airfield's day to day operational safety requirements.  When an airfield has safety requirements that differ from those of this chapter, the more stringent requirements apply.

(3)  Unless the Airfield Operator closes a runway and properly marks it, it may not be used for purposes other than aircraft operations unless approved by the USACE supervisor or accepted by the KO or COR.

(4)  Keep all paved surfaces, such as runways, taxiways, and hardstands clean at all times, particularly with regards to FOD.  Perform sweeping operations by truck mounted vacuum sweeper capable of regenerative air sweeping and water to minimize dust generation. When possible, magnetic bar assemblies should be attached to vehicles and used to pick up ferrous metal FOD.

(5)  When mobile equipment is not actively being utilized to perform work on an airfield, remove it to an approved location away from the runway centerline and outside the Runway Safety Area (RSA), the Obstacle Free Zone, and the Runway Object Free Area of active runways as approved by the USACE supervisor or accepted by the KO or COR.

(6)  Do not place anything upon the landing areas without approval by the USACE
    supervisor or accepted by the KO or COR approval.
    (7)  All vehicle access must be at an entry control point and approved by the
    Airfield Manager.  Maintain effective control of vehicles required to enter or cross aircraft movement areas.

(8)  When work is to be performed at an airfield where flying is controlled, obtain permission to enter a landing area from the control tower operator every time entry is required, unless the landing area has been closed by the Airfield Operator and marked as hazardous.

(9)  When working in landing areas, perform work so as to leave that portion of the landing area that is available to aircraft free from hazards, including holes, piles, or material, and projecting shoulders that might damage an airplane tire.  Equip each vehicle, piece of equipment, or work crew with a two-way radio capable of keeping communications with the air traffic control (ATC) tower while performing work in landing areas.

(10) Do not place equipment, materials, or contractor plant upon or within a safety precaution area without approval of the USACE supervisor or acceptance by the KO or COR.

(11) If an object in a safety precaution area projects above the approach- departure clearance surface or above the transitional surface, the object must be marked with a red light.

b.  Excavations.  (32-8.b)

(1)  Open trenches or excavations are not permitted within the RSA while the runway is open or on the Taxiway Surface Area while the taxiway is open.  If possible, backfill trenches before the runway or taxiway is opened.  If the runway or taxiway must be opened before excavations are backfilled, cover the excavations appropriately. Covering for open trenches must be designed to allow the safe operation of the heaviest aircraft operating on the runway across the trench without damage to the aircraft.

(2)  Mark open trenches and excavations at the construction site with red or orange flags and red lights, as approved by the Airport Operator, and light them with red lights during hours of restricted visibility or darkness.

(3)  Lights must be red, either steady burning or flashing, and must meet the luminance requirements of the State Highway Department.  Lights must be mounted on barricades and spaced at no more than 10 feet (3 m).  Operate the lights between sunset and sunrise and during periods of low visibility whenever the airport is open for operations. They may be controlled by photocell, but this may require that the contractor turn them on manually during periods of low visibility during daytime hours.

c.  Vehicle Requirements.  (32-8.c)

(1)  Provide all vehicles with a flag on a staff attached to the vehicle so that the flag will be readily visible if the vehicles do not routinely traverse any portion of the air operations area (AOA) under the control of ATC and if they are not escorted by a vehicle in constant two-way radio communication with ATC and properly equipped and authorized to operate in the AOA.

(2)  Provide flags on all vehicles at airports that do not have ATC facilities.

(3)  Each flag must be at least a 3 feet by 3 feet (0.9 m by 0.9 m) square having a checkered pattern of international orange and white squares at least 1 feet (0.3 m) on each side.