[SamAdams76]

In the mid 1980s I worked for Hudson General for a while doing this exact same type of work. The job was called "ramp agent" back in the day and I could be doing anything from handling baggage, taking mail to the post office, supplying fresh water to the plane, or emptying the lavs, which can be a whole thread in itself. I never did wave the plane in those wands however, I saw "Airplane!" and I didn't want to be that guy!

Below is likely the type of conveyor belt that was involved in the tragic accident. I can absolutely picture how this happened. She was probably the one slapping the bags onto the belt as another employee deeper inside the hold was feeding her the luggage by sliding the bags across the floor (or even tossing them at her if they were light enough). It's a fast-paced job and all you can think about is getting the bags thrown your way onto the belt. She might have had a bag about to go off the edge of the belt so reached over to grab it, allowing her long hair to get caught in the machinery.

It must have been a horrible scene. Only the person at the bottom can shut the belt off and he/she was also probably too occupied getting the incoming baggage onto the carts to see what was going on up top in time to turn the belt off.

Even back then we had a long list of safety rules to follow but most people get complacent and stop following many of them after a while. And this is how accidents like this happen and anybody working on or around heavy equipment can tell you.

[CodeJockey]

Wonder if any passengers were watching the loading from the aircraft when it happened? Would make for a somber flight.

[New Perspective]

I did all the work you described, lav was something I completely avoided:)

The belt loader does not forgive. During our safety meetings I would watch my coworkers and I knew none of them had a clue or cared, how to handle an emergency. I wouldn't trust them with my dead hamster.

While pushing a plane I watched an idiot, one of the minorities with privileges, pull the pin on the nose gear allowing pilot full turning control, before we removed the towbar, it moved about 4 feet hitting in the thighs. Any further and he could of lost his limbs. There are people who have no concept of safety.