Airport Safety and Security Excellence
Manage CAA compliance, airside safety, and security operations with comprehensive digital tools designed for aviation environments.
The Challenge
Airports operate under intense CAA scrutiny where compliance failures can ground operations instantly. Security personnel certifications, airside driving permits, and safety management systems require continuous documentation across dozens of stakeholders - airlines, ground handlers, retail concessions, and security contractors. Paper-based systems cannot keep pace with 24/7 operations, shift handovers, and the regulatory requirement to demonstrate compliance at any moment. When CAA auditors arrive or an airside incident occurs, gaps in documentation expose systemic failures that threaten your aerodrome certificate.
How Assistant Manager Solves Airports Compliance
Each module is designed to address the specific challenges airports businesses face every day.
Checklist Management
Airports need zone-specific checklists (airside, terminal, cargo, retail) that work across multiple stakeholder organisations, with different frequencies and regulatory requirements per check type
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Airside safety checks get rushed or skipped during busy turnaround periods when aircraft movements are backing up
Foreign Object Debris incidents damage aircraft engines, runway inspections miss hazards, and CAA auditors find incomplete documentation that triggers enforcement action
- Security screening equipment checks are documented inconsistently across different shifts and security contractor teams
CAA security audits reveal gaps in equipment verification records, questioning whether screening was effective during undocumented periods
- Terminal fire safety checks are completed on paper by different teams with no central visibility of what has actually been done
Fire service inspections find incomplete records and inconsistent completion, triggering improvement notices that affect your operating certificate
The Solution
How Checklist Management Helps
Digital checklists with GPS location verification for airside inspections, photo evidence requirements, and real-time completion tracking across all airport zones and contractor teams
Every FOD check, security equipment verification, and fire safety inspection is documented with evidence, managers see instantly when checks are overdue, and CAA auditors receive complete records organised by requirement
Use Cases:
- • FOD checks with GPS-verified apron zone completion
- • Runway and taxiway inspection documentation with photo evidence
- • Security screening equipment daily verification
- • Terminal fire door and fire equipment checks
- • Airside vehicle pre-use inspections
- • Retail and F&B concession compliance checks
- • Passenger assistance equipment inspections
Feature Screenshot
Checklist Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Airside safety checks get rushed or skipped during busy turnaround periods when aircraft movements are backing up
Real Scenario
"During a busy morning departure bank, the FOD check team skips a section of the apron to keep aircraft moving. A jet ingests debris on pushback, causing engine damage. CAA investigation reveals the FOD log shows 'complete' for an area that wasn't actually inspected."
Example 2: Security screening equipment checks are documented inconsistently across different shifts and security contractor teams
Real Scenario
"A CAA security audit requests X-ray machine calibration records for the past quarter. Three weeks of night shift records are missing entirely - the contractor says they 'definitely did the checks' but cannot prove it."
Example 3: Terminal fire safety checks are completed on paper by different teams with no central visibility of what has actually been done
Real Scenario
"Fire officers inspect terminal fire doors and find three held open with wedges. The paper fire door check log shows them as compliant. Investigation reveals different teams use different checklists and nobody verifies actual completion."
Employee Scheduling
Airports rely on complex contractor workforces where certification tracking crosses organisational boundaries - scheduling systems must verify compliance regardless of employer
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Security staff are rostered without checking whether their certifications are current - especially problematic with contractor workforces
CAA audits find security personnel working with expired certifications, questioning the validity of screening during those periods and triggering enforcement action
- Airside driving permits expire without anyone tracking them, and staff continue driving on the apron
An airside vehicle incident involves a driver whose permit expired months ago - invalidating insurance and demonstrating systemic compliance failure to CAA
The Solution
How Employee Scheduling Helps
Intelligent scheduling that integrates with certification databases to prevent rostering staff with expired security clearances, airside permits, or mandatory training
Only currently certified personnel are scheduled for security-critical roles, airside driving assignments require valid permits, and certification expiries are flagged weeks in advance
Use Cases:
- • Security staff rostering with certification verification
- • Airside driver scheduling with permit validity checks
- • Ground handler staff allocation with training verification
- • First responder coverage with qualification requirements
- • Multi-employer shift coordination with compliance visibility
- • Agency staff deployment with certification status
- • Overtime allocation with working time compliance
Feature Screenshot
Employee Scheduling
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Security staff are rostered without checking whether their certifications are current - especially problematic with contractor workforces
Real Scenario
"A CAA security audit cross-references duty rosters with certification records. Two security officers worked screening lanes for six weeks after their certifications expired. The airport faces enforcement action for operating with uncertified personnel."
Example 2: Airside driving permits expire without anyone tracking them, and staff continue driving on the apron
Real Scenario
"A baggage tug collides with an aircraft wheel. Investigation reveals the driver's airside permit expired four months ago. Nobody in the ground handling company was tracking permit expiries. The incident becomes a CAA enforcement case."
Time Clock & Attendance
Airports operate 24/7 with safety-critical roles where fatigue directly impacts security effectiveness - tracking must go beyond simple hours to monitor cumulative fatigue patterns
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Security personnel work extended shifts during busy periods or staff shortages, exceeding working time limits that affect alertness in safety-critical roles
Fatigued security staff miss threats during screening, or working time violations are discovered during regulatory audits, demonstrating inadequate workforce management
- Airside workers clock in but actual time on the apron versus in break areas is impossible to verify
Airside safety supervision is inadequate because workers take unofficial breaks, and incident investigations cannot determine who was actually present in specific areas
The Solution
How Time Clock & Attendance Helps
Clock in/out tracking with zone-based location verification, automatic working time compliance monitoring, and fatigue management alerts for safety-critical roles
Security and airside personnel hours are tracked automatically, working time violations are prevented before they occur, and zone presence is verified for supervision requirements
Use Cases:
- • Security checkpoint clock-in with zone assignment
- • Airside zone presence tracking for safety supervision
- • Working Time Regulations compliance for shift workers
- • Night shift fatigue pattern monitoring
- • Cross-shift overtime tracking across employers
- • Break compliance verification for long shifts
- • Emergency response team availability tracking
Feature Screenshot
Time Clock & Attendance
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Security personnel work extended shifts during busy periods or staff shortages, exceeding working time limits that affect alertness in safety-critical roles
Real Scenario
"A security officer works 14 hours covering for sick colleagues. They miss a prohibited item during screening that evening. Investigation reveals they had worked 60+ hours that week with no system to flag the violation."
Example 2: Airside workers clock in but actual time on the apron versus in break areas is impossible to verify
Real Scenario
"An airside incident occurs and investigators ask who was supervising that area. Timesheets show staff on duty, but nobody can confirm they were actually in that zone rather than in the break room. CCTV is inconclusive."
Training & Development
Airports must track training across dozens of employers - airlines, ground handlers, security contractors, retail concessions - requiring a centralised system that crosses organisational boundaries
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Security personnel certification renewals are tracked separately by each contractor, with no airport-wide visibility of who is actually qualified
CAA audits reveal certification gaps that weren't identified by fragmented contractor systems, triggering immediate remediation and enforcement action
- Airside safety training completion varies by employer, and airport-mandated refresher training is inconsistently delivered and tracked
Airside incidents involve personnel who missed mandatory safety briefings, and investigation reveals no system to verify training completion before apron access
The Solution
How Training & Development Helps
Centralised training management across all airport employers and contractors, with certification tracking, automatic expiry alerts, and integration with access control and scheduling systems
Every person working at the airport has verified current training regardless of employer, certification expiries trigger automatic access restrictions, and CAA auditors see complete workforce qualification data
Use Cases:
- • Security certification tracking with CAA requirements
- • Airside safety training with annual refresher scheduling
- • Airside driving licence and permit certification
- • Fire safety and emergency response training
- • Dangerous goods handling certification
- • Passenger assistance and accessibility training
- • Employer-agnostic training record management
Feature Screenshot
Training & Development
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Security personnel certification renewals are tracked separately by each contractor, with no airport-wide visibility of who is actually qualified
Real Scenario
"CAA requests a list of all security personnel with current certifications. It takes three days to compile from different contractor systems. The audit reveals 12 staff worked with expired certifications over the past year - none were flagged by any system."
Example 2: Airside safety training completion varies by employer, and airport-mandated refresher training is inconsistently delivered and tracked
Real Scenario
"A ground handler is struck by moving equipment. Investigation reveals they missed the annual airside safety refresher six months ago. Their employer assumed the airport tracked it; the airport assumed the employer did. Nobody verified completion."
HR Management
Airports are regulated security environments where background checking must be rigorous and continuous - fragmented employer systems create gaps that compromise security
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Criminal record checks and security vetting for airside access are managed separately by each employer with no central verification
Individuals with disqualifying criminal records gain airside access because vetting information isn't shared between employers, creating serious security breaches
- Right to work verification for the transient airport workforce is inconsistent, with some employers more rigorous than others
Immigration enforcement discovers illegal workers in airport roles, creating reputational damage and questioning security vetting processes
The Solution
How HR Management Helps
Centralised employee verification system with criminal record check tracking, right to work verification, and security vetting status visible across all airport employers
Every airport worker has verified vetting status regardless of employer, disqualifying information is flagged across the airport community, and compliance is demonstrated to CAA and Border Force
Use Cases:
- • Criminal record check tracking with renewal scheduling
- • Counter-terrorism check (CTC) status management
- • Right to work verification with document expiry alerts
- • Security vetting status across employer changes
- • Airside pass eligibility verification
- • Tenant employee compliance oversight
- • New starter security clearance workflow
Feature Screenshot
HR Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Criminal record checks and security vetting for airside access are managed separately by each employer with no central verification
Real Scenario
"An employee dismissed by one ground handler for failing a criminal record check is hired by another handler at the same airport. Their airside pass from the first employer was cancelled, but nobody connected the records when the new pass was issued."
Example 2: Right to work verification for the transient airport workforce is inconsistent, with some employers more rigorous than others
Real Scenario
"Immigration officers check workers at an airport retail concession and find two employees with expired visas. The concession operator's right to work checks were inadequate. The airport faces questions about oversight of tenant compliance."
Risk Assessment
Airports have diverse risk environments - landside terminal areas, airside aprons, cargo facilities, fuel farms - each requiring specific hazard identification that generic assessments miss
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Airside risk assessments are generic documents that don't reflect specific hazards in different apron zones or during different operation types
Airside incidents occur in areas where specific hazards weren't identified, and CAA investigation reveals inadequate risk assessment for the actual operation
- Construction and maintenance projects on the airfield create temporary hazards that aren't formally assessed or communicated
Aircraft or vehicles encounter unexpected hazards from works that weren't properly risk assessed, leading to incidents and CAA scrutiny of safety management
The Solution
How Risk Assessment Helps
Zone-specific risk assessments with hazard mapping, temporary works assessment workflow, and automatic review triggers when operations or layouts change
Every apron zone and operation type has current risk assessments, temporary hazards are formally assessed and communicated, and CAA auditors see systematic safety management
Use Cases:
- • Zone-specific apron risk assessments with hazard mapping
- • Aircraft turnaround operation risk assessments
- • Airside construction and works permit assessments
- • Fuel handling and storage risk assessments
- • Terminal public area hazard assessments
- • Adverse weather operation risk assessments
- • New equipment introduction safety assessments
Feature Screenshot
Risk Assessment
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Airside risk assessments are generic documents that don't reflect specific hazards in different apron zones or during different operation types
Real Scenario
"A de-icing operation results in a slip injury. The risk assessment covers 'aircraft servicing' generically but doesn't address the specific hazards of de-icing fluid on surfaces. CAA notes the assessment was last reviewed three years ago."
Example 2: Construction and maintenance projects on the airfield create temporary hazards that aren't formally assessed or communicated
Real Scenario
"An aircraft damages a wingtip on construction fencing that wasn't marked on the apron layout. Investigation reveals the works started without a formal risk assessment being communicated to airlines and ground handlers."
Accident & Incident Records
Airports must report certain incidents to CAA/AAIB within strict timeframes - unified reporting ensures mandatory reports aren't missed because the incident occurred in a contractor's area
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- Airside incidents are reported to different organisations (airport, airline, ground handler) with no consolidated view of what actually happened
CAA investigations find inconsistent accounts, and pattern analysis is impossible because incident data is fragmented across organisations
- Security incidents are documented in separate contractor systems with no airport-wide visibility of patterns or trends
Security threats evolve but nobody identifies patterns because incident data isn't aggregated - each contractor only sees their own data
The Solution
How Accident & Incident Records Helps
Unified incident reporting across all airport stakeholders with automatic CAA and AAIB notification determination, trend analysis, and investigation workflow management
Every incident is reported to a single system regardless of reporter's employer, patterns are identified across the airport community, and CAA mandatory reporting is automatically triggered
Use Cases:
- • Airside vehicle incidents with multi-party involvement
- • Aircraft ground damage reporting and investigation
- • Security incidents with mandatory reporting assessment
- • FOD discoveries with source investigation
- • Bird strike reporting with AAIB notification
- • Near-miss reporting for proactive safety management
- • Terminal public injury documentation
Feature Screenshot
Accident & Incident Records
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Airside incidents are reported to different organisations (airport, airline, ground handler) with no consolidated view of what actually happened
Real Scenario
"A near-miss between a tug and aircraft is reported differently by the ground handler and airline. The airport safety team doesn't receive either report until CAA asks about the incident three weeks later. No investigation occurred."
Example 2: Security incidents are documented in separate contractor systems with no airport-wide visibility of patterns or trends
Real Scenario
"Three separate security contractors each report one suspicious approach at staff entrances over a month. Nobody connects the incidents because they're in separate systems. A security breach occurs at the fourth approach."
COSHH Assessments
Airports use aviation-specific chemicals (de-icing fluids, fuels, specialist cleaners) that require specific assessments - fragmented contractor approaches create gaps in worker protection
The Problems
Why This Matters for Airports
- De-icing fluids, aviation fuels, and cleaning chemicals are used by contractor staff who haven't seen assessments specific to airport use
Chemical exposure incidents occur because staff aren't aware of airport-specific hazards and controls, and each contractor has different (or no) COSHH documentation
- Aviation fuel handling procedures and hazards are understood by fuel company staff but not by other airside workers who may encounter spills
Fuel spill response is inadequate because non-fuel staff don't know the hazards or correct response procedures
The Solution
How COSHH Assessments Helps
Centralised COSHH assessment library for all airport-used chemicals, accessible to all stakeholder employers, with role-based exposure assessment and training requirements
Every worker encountering hazardous substances knows the risks and controls regardless of their employer, fuel and de-icing fluid hazards are communicated airport-wide, and contractors access standardised assessments
Use Cases:
- • De-icing fluid assessment with PPE requirements
- • Aviation fuel hazard communication for all airside workers
- • Terminal cleaning chemical assessments
- • Aircraft cleaning product assessments
- • Runway rubber removal chemical assessments
- • Cargo handling chemical documentation
- • Contractor chemical use approval workflow
Feature Screenshot
COSHH Assessments
Real-World Examples
Example 1: De-icing fluids, aviation fuels, and cleaning chemicals are used by contractor staff who haven't seen assessments specific to airport use
Real Scenario
"A ground handler develops respiratory problems after de-icing operations. Investigation reveals they weren't provided PPE because their employer's COSHH assessment didn't exist for de-icing fluid - they assumed the airport would provide it."
Example 2: Aviation fuel handling procedures and hazards are understood by fuel company staff but not by other airside workers who may encounter spills
Real Scenario
"A minor fuel spill during refuelling is approached by a ground handler who doesn't recognise the vapour hazard. They drive a vehicle through the spill area, creating an ignition risk. They had no training on fuel hazards."
Results Airports Businesses Achieve
Other Transport Solutions
Elevate Your Airport Compliance
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