Aviation Ground Handling Films Employees Lifting The Right Way

Ground handling is, for the most part, manual handling. And that manual work can take a toll on just about every part of a ramp worker’s body.

Queensland Airports Ltd., a regional airport specialist in its namesake state of Australia, took some of the burden off 110 ground handlers thanks to an instructional DVD that shows the right way to go about various ramp operations.

The company’s ground handling firm, Aviation Ground Handling, supplies a full range of ground support services for passenger, cargo and military aircraft at five airports located in the northeast of the country.

The workload can range from 15 flights a week for one airline for staff of 12 at Townsville Airport to 110 flights a week for three airlines for a staff o 28 at Mackay Airport.

The DVD is the brainchild of Janelle Jamison, health, safety and rehabilitation officer for Queensland Airports Ltd., following her research into staff injuries. Incorrect manual handling was a contributing factor to a number of such injuries.

About 80 percent of Aviation Ground Handling workers are also cross-trained to switch from front-of-the house operations, such as passenger check-in and ticketing services, to the typically heavier work of ramp and cargo operations.

“We want a multi-skilled workforce since it provides more flexibility for the company and a more interesting working environment for employees,” says Melissa Pearce, communications manager for Queensland Airports Ltd. “This was one of the main reasons we developed the DVD since we knew we had a lot of area to cover and needed a quick and effective way to teach correct manual handling.”

Steve Bowman, Bowman Studios, a regular, international contributor to Ground Support Worldwide, filmed the 15-minute DVD on site featuring Aviation Ground Handling’s own employees.

To ensure credibility, Pearce told us the script was reviewed by Dr. Venerina Johnston, a lecturer in physiotherapy at The University of Queensland. Johnston, also a researcher with the university’s Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury & Health, attended the filming to make sure correct manual handling techniques were used.

“It shows ground handling staff performing their roles and highlights ways they can improve their techniques,” says Richard Walters, general manager, Aviation Ground Handling. “The DVD also explains the risks associated with not following good manual handling techniques.”

The DVD, bundled with a resource booklet and online test taken through the company’s digital education portal, is required for all staff.

“The DVD now forms part of our induction process for all new staff, as well as to ensure existing staff has also been educated in regard to the correct techniques,” Walters adds.

The manual handling DVD is actually one of three DVDs that Queensland Airports Ltd. produced last year. The other two were created for maintenance staff and adminstrative staff working Gold Coast Airport.

DVD Wins Safety Award

Aviation Ground Handling’s manual handling DVD recently won the Australasian Aviation Ground Safety Council’s Ground Safety Award. The award recognizes a person or team within the region’s aviation industry for making a “significant contribution to aviation ground safety within their organization or the industry as a whole.”

The AGGSC was originally known as the Australasian Airline Ground Safety Council and was a spin-off from a similar organization, the Australasian Airline Flight Safety Council formed in 1980 by safety managers of Air New Zealand; Qantas Airways; Trans-Australia Airlines; and Ansett Airlines.

Its core business is to improve the safety of all activities that go into ramp and terminal operations.

One of its first successes came in the mid-1990s when its member airlines agreed to adopt a maximum checked baggage weight of 32 kilograms (70 pounds) per bag in order to reduce back injuries to ground handlers. The recommendation was subsequently accepted by the International Air Transport Association and incorporated in IATA’s “Airport Handling Manual.” A 2008 agreement reduced the standard to 23 kilograms (51 pounds).

The nature of the organization’s business expanded to include membership of companies, such as ground handlers, fuel operators and catering companies, that all shared the same busy airport environment.

By 1997, the council knew it needed airport executives as full members to address its mission effectively. Along with changes in membership bylaws, the organization took the name it is known by today.

One Other Ground Safety DVD

Queensland Airports Ltd. isn’t selling its DVD, but Steve Bowman who filmed the company’s DVD has a safety DVD of his own that is for sale.

“Aviation Ground Safety Training” is an interactive DVD that includes 90 video segments covering safety issue ranging from airside driving and aircraft turns to refueling operations and manual handling.

For more information, go to www.aviationpros.com. Click on the “Buyer’s Guide” tab and search for “Aviation Ground Safety Training.”