GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF CIVIL. AVIATION OPPOSITE SAFDARJUNG AIRPORT NEW DELHI-110003 RDER DGCA-15031/4/2020-DAS 11.03.2022 Subject: Comprehensive guidelines in terms of the directions issued by Hon'ble Delhi High Court in W.P. (C) 2946/2020 &W.P.(C) 5122/2021 in its order dated 41.05.2021 regarding compliance of Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules,1937. In view of the then rising number of COVID-19 cases and to ensure compliance of Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi in its order dated 41.05.2021 in para 14 has directed as follows: “The DGCA shall issue a comprehensive quideline/order urgently, which contains all the requirements and the protocols to be followed for administration of Breath Analyser Test, in one document. The said order shall be ‘communicated to all the airports and the airlines, across the country to be adhered to uniformly.” 2. Incompliance to the above direction of Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, the DGCA had feviewed the quantum of Breath-analyzer test for all Aviation personnel and the DGCA issued comprehensive guidelines vide order of even no. dated 13.05.2021 3, The Hon'ble High Court in para 13(4) of the same order directed as under: “The testing shall be random for all personnel i.e. ATCs, pilots, cabin crews and other personnel. However, insofar as the pilots and cabin crew are concerned, there will be @ 5% cap on the number of personnel who are tested, for a period of 3 months. The same can be revised by the end of 3 months, depending upon the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic.” 4. In furtherance of above directions of Hon'ble high Court of Delhi, the comprehensive guidelines dated 13.05.2021 were reviewed after three months in view of prevailing COVID-19 situation and the guidelines dated 13.05.2021 were extended on 16.08.2021, for a further period of three months. 5, Thereafter the guidelines dated 13.05.2021 were again reviewed and on basis of vaccination status of crewmembers & Air Traffic Controllers, reducing trend of Covid-19 Gases and increase in volume of air traffic, the revised guidelines were issued vide order of even no. dated 02.11.2021 6. In furtherance, the guidelines dated 02.11.2021 were again reviewed and in view of then prevailing COVID-19 situation these guidelines were extended on 03 02.2022, fora further period of three months.7. Now, in view of reducing trend of Covid-19 cases and increase in volume of air traffic the guidelines dated 02.11.2021 have been reviewed and it has been decided that wef 21.03.2022 the employer/ organization shall ensure the following: 1, 50% of cockpit crew member and the cabin crew member shall be subjected to the random preflight Breath-Analyzer test for entire operation of an Organization on daily basis. The airlines operators shall ensure that all operation bases are covered for random pre-flight breath-analyzer examination. 1. 5% of ATCO shall be subjected to random Breath-Analyzer test before commencement of duty at each station on daily basis Ill, 2% of personnel involved in each of the following safety sensitive duties, shalll be subjected to random Breath-Analyzer test before commencement of duty at each station on daily basis: a. Aircraft Maintenance personnel, b. Flight dispatcher, c. Aerodrome operation personnel. d. Fire and rescue personnel, e Vehicle drivers (including catering and refueling vehicles) ground equipment operators f, ground handling personnel, IV. For operation of aircraft registered in private category, 50% of the Pre-flight Breath-analyzer test shall be carried out in accordance with the existing DGCA letter no, DGCA-15011(01)/18/2020-DAS dated 03.12.2020. 8 The above direction/arrangement (as mentioned in preceding para) is purely a temporary measure in view of current COVID-19 situation and shall be in force for a period of three months from the date of issue. Till then, the relevant provisions of the CAR Section-5, Series-F, Partlll and CAR Section-5, Series-F,Part-IV shall ‘remain suspended. The restoration of provisions of respective Civil Aviation Requirements on the subject will be reviewed after three months. 9. Every aviation personnel who is reporting for duty, is required to submit an undertaking in respect of the fact that he/she is not under the influence of alcohol and that he/she has not consumed alcohol in last 12 hours from the time of reporting for the duty. The undertaking must also contain a warning that in case of violation of the undertaking, strict enforcement action including off rostering and suspension in accordance with applicable rules will be taken by DGCA against the individual. 40. The Cockpit Crew, Cabin Crew and ATCO shall submit the undertaking in presence of medical staff and the same shall be captured on the camera. 11. While conducting breath-analyzer test, following precautions /measures shall be taken: 14.1 The breath-analyzer testto the extent feasible shall be carried out in a bigger and an open area which has CCTV coverage or camera recording in accordance with para 6.10 of CAR Section-5, Series-F, Partlll, Issue-IIl, Rev-2 dated 15.12.2021.12. 41.2 The doctor /paramedic/EMT/nurse etc. as authorized under CAR Section 5 ‘Series F Part Ill & IV shall scan a person for symptoms of COVID-19 disease before carrying out a BA test. a) If any person is detected with COVID symptoms, the person shall be exempted from BA test and be removed from duty. Such person shall undergo the required examination and shall return to duty only after having been declared fit. Records are to be maintained for all such cases. b) Such cases shalll not be treated as missed BA case. 41.3 The person carrying out the test and undergoing the test should ensure hygiene conditions including the following: a) The doctor Iparamedic/EMT/nurse shall take a Rapid Antigen Test or any other test for COVID-19 as approved by the respective State Government prior to joining the duty for the BA testing. b) The person doing the Breath-analyzer test should use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Kit ©) The person undergoing the test should wash their hands before and after BA test or use disposable gloves for handling the BA machine, d) Before every use, the BA equipment should be sanitized using UV sterilizers e) Integrity and sanitary condition of BA tubes/ mouth piece should be maintained 11.4 Not more than six person shall be tested in any hour of day. Further, all airport operators, airline operators, organizations and concerned personnel shall strictly comply with the above said Comprehensive guidelines herein. 13, All organizations shall ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol issued by Government of India from time to time while complying with these requirements. This issues with the approval of Competent Authority. (Maneesh Kumar) Deputy Director General To: All Scheduled Airlines, Non-Scheduled Operators & Private operators, AAI and ‘Aerodrome operators and Flying Training Organizations