United Kingdom - Articles and news items

Improving safety for ground handlers

Issue 4 2006, Past issues / 1 December 2006 /

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible, along with colleagues in Local Authorities (LAs), for enforcing health and safety legislation and standards in all work activities in Great Britain.

Following concerns about increasing accident numbers at airports, and with the introduction of the Government’s Revitalising Health & Safety strategy, the HSE and industry representatives established the Revitalising Health & Safety in Air Transport (RHSAT) initiative in 2002. Since then, the number of injuries to airport workers has been in decline, a testament to the ongoing commitment of duty holders to make the airport transport industry a safer place to work.

Key risk areas have been identified: falls from height from catering vehicles, open aircraft doors, and other types of access or servicing equipment; Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in baggage and cargo handling; vehicle management; and slips, trips and falls. All of these risks are particularly evident during aircraft turnround, and HSE published HSG209 Aircraft Turnround in 2000, giving further guidance on the application of legislation such as the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The guidance is intended to be complimentary to CAA guidance CAP642 Airside Safety Management. (more…)

Biometrics and airport access control

Issue 1 2006, Past issues / 17 March 2006 /

Biometrics has played an important role in efforts to strengthen airport security. Here Alan Medlock outlines how London City Airport has used Biometrics to implement a cost-effective, user-friendly and secure employee identification system.

Following 9/11, the aviation industry faced immediate challenges in identifying and addressing new security issues to make their airports more secure. In addition to increasing the numbers of security officers by nearly 50 per cent, London City Airport focused on how to strengthen security using technology, where appropriate. A system which uses each employee’s unique finger biometric to control access to restricted areas of the airport was chosen. (more…)

Why UK airport capacity matters

Issue 2 2005, Past issues / 10 June 2005 /

The impending threat of ‘capacity crunch’ has prompted the UK airport industry into action over its own future.

Much has been made during the past few years of the possibility for a ‘capacity crunch’ at major UK airports. The prospect of this and the consequent damage it would cause the UK economy was the driving force behind the December 2003 Government White Paper ‘The Future of Air Transport’ that called, inter alia, for new runways at Stansted, Birmingham and Edinburgh airports.

But how real is the possibility of ‘capacity crunch’ and what impact – if any – would this have on the wider European and World economy? Increasingly, the evidence is that aviation growth in the UK is being restricted by the lack of capacity in the south east of the country and that if this is not addressed the knock-on effect for the European economy will be significant.

In an article on European Airport Capacity in Aerlines Magazine 29, Eelman, Schumacher & Becker identified five main elements that restrict airport capacity: limited area, long project approval procedures, heated discussions with the community surrounding the airport, ongoing privatisation and lack of political backing. At many large UK airports, particularly those in the south east of England, several of these principles apply. (more…)