Transport & Logistics

Set up and run a safe air transport operation

Air transport operations expose your people to aircraft-handling risks, fuel, noise, working at height on and around aircraft, and manual handling of cargo and baggage. Whatever you carry, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, the sector-specific hazards, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

UK-wide
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UK-wide

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Running an air transport operation — ground handling, loading, fuelling, maintenance, flight operations — exposes your people to a distinctive set of hazards. The duties in this guide are not specific to aviation licensing; they apply to running the operation and employing people. Get this spine in place first, then layer the aviation and spaceflight licensing on top.

Health and safety law here is largely reserved. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulator in Great Britain and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) in Northern Ireland; the underlying duties are equivalent across the UK. Work through the sections below in order.

A. Meet your general health and safety duty

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the foundation. You must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your employees and of anyone else affected by your work. In an air transport operation that means risk-assessing aircraft handling and ground movements, working at height on and around aircraft, fuel handling and storage, noise exposure from engines and auxiliary power units, and manual handling of baggage and cargo.

B. Manage your sector-specific hazards

Air transport carries hazards that go beyond general factory risks:

  • Aircraft handling and ground movements — vehicle and pedestrian segregation on the apron, marshalling, pushback and towing operations, and jet-blast and propeller zones.
  • Working at height — maintenance access, cargo-door operations, fuselage inspection and de-icing, all requiring fall-prevention measures under the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
  • Fuel handling — aviation fuel is flammable and toxic; refuelling, defuelling and fuel-farm operations require COSHH assessment, static-discharge controls and fire-prevention measures.
  • Noise exposure — engine run-ups, auxiliary power units and ground-support equipment can exceed the exposure action values in the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005; you must assess exposure and provide hearing protection where required.

C. Manage fire safety

Aviation fuel, hydraulic fluids and cargo handling create an elevated fire load. The responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment and maintain fire-safety arrangements. The duty is devolved: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England and Wales; the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 in Scotland; and the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 in Northern Ireland.

D. Hold employers' liability insurance

As soon as you employ anyone, you must hold employers' liability compulsory insurance — normally at least £5 million of cover — and display or make available the certificate. This is a legal requirement across Great Britain, with an equivalent duty in Northern Ireland.

E. Meet your equality duties

As an employer you must not discriminate against, harass or victimise people because of a protected characteristic. In Great Britain this is governed by the Equality Act 2010; in Northern Ireland separate equality legislation applies, enforced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

F. Handle personal data lawfully

If you process personal data — about staff, passengers, crew or suppliers — you must comply with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and in most cases pay the data protection fee to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This applies UK-wide.

  1. 1

    1. Write your health and safety risk assessments

    Assess aircraft handling, ground movements, working at height, fuel handling, noise exposure and manual handling of baggage and cargo, and put safe systems of work, training and supervision in place under HASAWA 1974.

  2. 2

    2. Control your sector-specific hazards

    Put apron segregation and marshalling procedures in place, fit fall-prevention for height work, assess fuel handling under COSHH, and assess noise exposure under the Noise Regulations.

  3. 3

    3. Carry out your fire risk assessment

    Assess fire risk from aviation fuel, hydraulic fluids and cargo under the fire-safety regime for your nation.

  4. 4

    4. Take out employers' liability insurance and register with the ICO

    Arrange at least £5 million of cover before anyone starts work, and pay the data protection fee unless you are exempt.

What to do next

This spine covers the duties of running the operation and employing people. On top of it sits the aviation and spaceflight licensing regime:

Official sources

Authoritative health and safety guidance for air transport.