Guidance on aircraft turnaround

Citation

(2001), "Guidance on aircraft turnaround", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2001.12773baf.006

Guidance on aircraft turnaround

Guidance on aircraft turnaround

Keywords Health and safety executive, Aircraft, Turnarounds, Health and safety, United Kingdom

The UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that it has published new guidance for the civil airport industry aimed at improving health and safety during the preparation of aircraft for flight (aircraft turnaround).

Aircraft Turnaround: A Guide for Airport and Aerodrome Operators, Airlines and Service Providers on Achieving Control, Co-operation and Co-ordination (HSG209) includes advice on the roles and responsibilities of the companies involved, the selection, control and monitoring of contractors and the organisaton of the turnaround itself.

The guidance is one of the key parts of an ongoing HSE initiative in the industry to improve health and safety during aircraft turnarounds. The initiative has also included a series of presentations at key conferences and visits to companies by HSE inspectors.

"Whilst the UK has an enviable record of aircraft safety, the health and safety of those working around the aircraft is a grave cause for concern. The industry is not able to rely solely on "hardware" solutions to solve its safety problems and so rely on safe systems of work. Consequently, it is vital that these are both adequate and robust and that management ensures that they are implemented and maintained", said Bob Meldrum, head of the HSE's Docks, Water and Air Transport Unit.

He continued: "We know that parts of the guidance will require changes to some practices in the industry and that this will take time. Inspectors will take this into account when they visit companies involved in aircraft turnaround.

"We hope that the industry will respond positively to this new guidance because the industry must improve its health and safety record, and this cannot happen until there is proper control of aircraft turnarounds."

Accidents during turnaround are frequent and can be severe, for example, during one turnaround, a baggage truck reversed over a fuel hydrant pit, severing the coupling. Several thousand litres of fuel were spilled. Workers and aircraft were doused in fuel and the operation of the airport was badly affected.

At another airport, a ramp worker suffered a badly broken leg when he was trapped between a loader and a baggage dolly. The loader was routinely used to "shuttle" baggage from dollies to the aircraft. It was not designed for this job and had relatively poor visibility for the driver. However, this was the only way the workers could get the job done as the turnaround had not been properly planned and, in the congested area at the rear of the aircraft there was no space to bring the dollies into the right position for the work to be carried out safely.

Commenting on HSE's guidance Andy Lewis, head of safety at BAA said: "The number of reportable injuries in the air transport sector of the economy has been on the increase for the last decade. With the projected growth in traffic figures, we must tackle this problem as an industry, not individual organisations. Aircraft tunrounds involve many different people intent on ensuring flights arrive and depart safely and on time.

"I believe these guidelines provide an effective framework encouraging airlines, handling agents and airport operators to work in partnership to reduce the risks faced by staff in the busy apron environment. BAA will continue to play its key role, but it recognises that it is the responsibility of airport communities across the UK to translate these guidelines into action."

Peter Read, British Airways director of Heathrow said, "Ensuring that aircraft turnaround is completed safely is critical to our whole operation and we support the guidance outlined in HSG209. Turnaround involves many different parties and it is important that we all work together to ensure that the operation is performed safely and effectively. We look forward to working with the HSE and all of the parties involved to help further improve safety standards across the industry".

Key points from the guidance include: companies who employ contractors to undertake all or part of the turnaround should: satisfy themselves that the organisations are able to carry out the turnaround safely, control the turnaround and monitor the performance of their contractors.

Other key points are: turnarounds should be planned and supervised. The plan should be written down, and the supervisor (either a handling agent or some other appointed person) should have sufficient authority to control the activities around the aircraft. Contractors need to co-ordinate their activities during turnaround.

Points also included are: the airport community needs to co-operate its activities to improve health and safety during turnarounds; the airport operator has a key role to play in this. Each company involved must assess and control the risks its activities pose to others; this includes airlines, airport operators and the ground handlers.

Copies of Aircraft Turnaround: A Guide for Airport and Aerodrome Operators, Airlines and Service Providers on Achieving Control, Co-operation and Co-ordination, ISBN 0-7176- 1860-9, price £6.95, can be ordered online at http://www.hsebooks.co.uk

Further details are available from HSE. Tel: +44 (0)8701 545500.