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Issue link: https://groundsupportworldwide.epubxp.com/i/665839
18 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE APRIL 2016 INTERNATIONAL Arkadiusz Binek, former head of SAS operations in Russia and currently respon- sible for several quality improvement proj - ects for SAS International, believes that for health and safety management on the ramp in Russia to be brought to the next level the focus should not just be on the production of multiple governmental health and safety regulations but rather on their more extensive application in practice. Binek believes that there is a good implementa- tion of regulatory standards for the alcohol tests of certain categories of employees. "The October 2014 accident at Moscow's Vnukovo airport proves, however, that this not always an effective process. In addition, as for hear- ing impairment not every employee has his/ her own hearing protection aids" says Binek. Binek recognises that another limitation is the quality of training for ramp operators. "As for ramp safety, the most critical thing, at least from my point of view, is the fact that the basic airside safety training does not exist as a separate training for staff having access to the ramp" he says. One management strategy to improve employees' health and safety systems on the ramp is to focus on the quality and effectiveness of management-employee communication. Management must not just 'talk the walk' by, e.g., implementing formal health and safety systems which may reveal compliance on paper but also 'walk the talk', namely foster inherently safe behaviours of employees executing a safety sensitive task. In this respect communication is key. The Lancer insurance company is a US based frm specialising in commercial insurance products and in its safety rec- ommendation N. 16 on safety awareness programmes it recommends that safety awareness programming includes the use of safety posters, bulletins and other reminders on a regularly scheduled basis. According to Marinov in Russia ground handling compa- nies commonly use posters showing proper postures for, e.g., loaders on stairs or PC workers in offce environments. Lancer says they believe that using the likes of posters and other reminders a com- pany makes a frm statement that safety is important and its practice is fully supported by management. It is important that pro- grammes have a schedule, which should imply that one or two safety awareness items be distributed each month. All safety mes- sages should be stated in a positive context, namely stress the proper way of executing a task as opposed to messages saying 'don't do this, don't do that'; most adults respond more effectively to a positive message of 'show me how' rather than the reprimand AviationPros.com/10017906