Emirates hosts first conference on airside safety

With its theme 'Safe Turn Around', the International Airside Safety Workshop was conducted by the Emirates Group Safety department at the Emirates Aviation College, in conjunction with the 30th meeting of the IATA Airside Safety Group.

An international panel of safety experts addressed the delegates on the issue of safety on the ground from the time an aircraft touches down to when it takes off again to make it a safe turn round.

The one-day workshop was attended by some 195 delegates from 50 organisations in 25 countries, including Europe, North America, Canada, New Zealand, Africa, Asia and Far East Asia. , Australia. They represented airlines, airport authorities, ground-handling companies, fuelling and catering companies.

In his opening address, Mohammed AlKhaja, Emirates' Senior Vice President Safety & Standards, said: 'Today, the complexity involved in ensuring a safe turnaround of an aircraft is no less challenging than flying an aircraft.

'We in Emirates Group Safety are proud to be hosting the first ever such workshop which will focus on new developments and challenges faced by the world of airside operations.'

Neale Millet, IATA's Chairman of the Airside Safety Group, also welcomed the delegates and was followed on the podium by Guest speaker Tim Bingham, Technical Director-Global at Air BP.

Throughout the day, delegates were addressed by a number of high-profile speakers, including Chris Barber, Manager Safety Programmes at Qantas Airways; Sarachandaran Pillai, Manager of Ground Operations' Quality Assurance at Gulf Air; Chris Miles, Manager Airport & Inflight Services, IATA; and Bob Newman, Head of Network Risk Management at Menzies Aviation.

Topics covered included Safety Management Systems, Risk Management, Threat and Error management, the Airbus A380-800 project, Aircraft Damage, Human Factors and a Behavioural Approach to Culture Change, and a Ground Damage Prevention Programme and Safety Management System.

A number of Emirates' management also addressed the conference: Mick Quinn, Senior Vice President Safety; Craig McBride, Manager Ground Safety; and Clive Clemson, Manager Airport Services Passenger & Aircraft Handling.

The workshop sponsors were Airbus, Air BP, Dnata Airport Operations, Emirates Flight Catering, and Emirates Airport Services. Support sponsors were Dubai Civil Aviation, General Civil Aviation Authority, International Aviation Handlers' Association, and Australasian Aviation Ground Safety Council.