Workshop participants discussed behavioural and cultural challenges in the ground handling workforce. The growing transience of staff – alongside the departure of experienced staff – has led to concerns about declining aviation knowledge and safety maturity. Some believe younger workers may be more inclined to take risks or disregard SOPs.
Contributing factors include:
- Reduced employment benefits under third-party providers
- Job insecurity, particularly in the post-COVID environment
- Difficulty retaining experienced staff, leading to:
- Training gaps
- Inconsistencies in standardisation
- Increased organisational risk.
What can operators do?
To help keep staff, you should:
- use a good training system that tracks requirement updates
- give effective training
- have an onboarding process and make sure you include all training requirements
- avoid relying on a single person and make sure backups for important roles exist
- make sure the right people are in the important positions
- offer career pathways and progression to staff.
Operators should consider how they support less experienced staff to ensure errors do not compromise safety. While training and checking may meet regulatory requirements, the group recommended extra support tailored for less experienced or newly inducted staff. This support should account for generational differences, learning styles, and the increasingly transient nature of the workforce. Operators highlighted the importance of complementing classroom and online training with comprehensive on-the-job training (OJT). This approach reinforces best practices, promotes adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), and helps prevent staff from continuing unsafe or ineffective behaviours.
Other options to support inexperienced crew can include:
- Start a mentoring program where less experienced Ground Staff learn from more experienced ones. This goes beyond basic training and helps less experienced staff gain valuable insights from seasoned staff.
- Through mentoring and safety briefings, focus on sharing information that improves safety and prevents accidents. Discuss what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future.
- Standardise operations as much as possible by using 'airline' style SOPs. This reduces change and crew workload. It also helps focus more on safely operating around aircraft.
- Encourage a positive safety culture to help crew feel comfortable raising concerns. This way, staff can make better risk-based decisions with your support.
What is CASA doing or has already delivered?
The standard set by ICAO is for the oversight of the regulations and accountability for ground handling through the AOC holder.
Advisory circulars
Advisory circular AC 119-01 helps organisations meet Part 119 of CASR requirements. It also provides examples of SMS processes. Examples include management of third-party contractors suitable for organisations operating under SMS processes:
Advisory circular AC 139.C-27 provides guidance on developing a risk management plan. We encourage operators to have an RMP, even if they don’t need it:
Advisory circular AC 139.C-26 outlines the ICAO SMS Framework. This helps certified aerodrome operators develop and start an SMS:
Advisory circular AC 139.C-13 provides guidance to aerodrome operators in effective apron safety management.
This includes apron discipline, ground vehicle movements and other critical aerodrome functions. This helps to keep standards, enhance safety and minimise risk.
Advisory circular AC 139.C-14 - Airside vehicle control provides guidance to efficiently manage airside vehicle operations at all aerodromes:
Advisory circular AC 119-12 provides guidance on how training should include specific HF and NTS competencies. These will help minimise safety concerns identified through the operator’s safety management system, for example hazard identification or assurance monitoring activities:
Safety management systems (SMS)
Aerodromes in this sector typically need a safety management system or risk management plans. Our SMS for aerodromes page provides guidance on the relevant SMS tools and templates. It will help you to create one, including the SMS resource kit.
CASR Parts
CASR Part 139 MOS Chapter 25 Safety management systems, includes a provision for third party interfaces. This requires procedures to make sure that any third parties' activities do not compromise aviation safety. All safety critical information from the aerodrome’s SMS conveys to relevant third parties.
Part 119 of CASR Appendix E – training and checking all operational safety critical personnel in the functions of their role (technical skills). This includes Human Factors and Non-Technical Skills training.
Refer to our Ground operations page for further updates and guidance.