By Chinelo Obogo
Insider threats presenting potential internal risks to airlines and airport authorities, civil unrest and wars impacting aircrew in airspace with conflicts zones, misinformation about flight schedules and other factors have been identified as some of the causes of insecurity at the nation’s airports.
During the safety week organised by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) with the theme, “Promoting Staff working behind the scenes for Aviation Safety,” a former General Manager at the Aviation Security (Avsec) department of FAAN, Dr. Hope Bassey, who presented a paper narrated how she suffered multiple miscarriages as a result of the stress she passed through as an Avsec staff.
She explained that aviation security is about the protection of air navigation and airport facilities, aircraft, passengers, crew, members of the public, cabin and hold baggage, cargo mail, and catering supplies from criminals and their acts of sabotage, hijacking, or terrorism.
However, she said Avsec staff are usually overlooked and underappreciated despite the fact that they undergo the most stress which she said led to the demise of some of the staff. She said aviation security threats and hazards manifest themselves in different forms but that one of the most important ways to avert it is by ensuring that security officials are well taken care of to ensure that they carry out their duties effectively.
“Aviation security threats and hazards manifest themselves in different forms such as :Insider threats presenting potential internal risks to airlines and airport authorities, civil unrest and wars impacting aircrew in airspace with conflicts zones, misinformation about flight schedules, inadequately documented passengers and cases, etc.
Shortage of manpower, stress, leading to ill-health and untimely death, threats by both passengers and staff, aircraft noise, vagaries of weather, sensitive materials (touch, smell), frequent bending to load bags into the X-ray machine, and frisking numerous passengers (pat-down), among others.
She said some of the counter measures the industry needs to take are, “Access control, screening, protection of aircraft. Most proactive hazards identification methods are: Surveys, audits, inspections, tests workplace inspection checklist with relevant industry hazards.”
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of FAAN, Kabir Yusuf, said, “This event is a great opportunity for colleagues and friends to come together and learn about a pertinent aspect of the aviation industry. Safety is the key component of this industry, and those who work backstage to ensure that there is zero harm, and zero casualties must be lauded. I sincerely appreciate your time and effort and value even more your future support in taking safety in the aviation sphere to the next level. The forum was an interactive one, enabling us to evaluate our past activities, give analysis to services rendered, especially considering the unseen staff, draw up modalities and celebrate our wins, where
“We as FAAN will continue to support the activities of the safety services team as part of our commitment to ensuring a customer-centric experience.
As this year has shown, things will not always be rosy, and it is only in unity of purpose that success can be achieved. We will constantly be tested in our management and handling of situations that will arise involving those who are within the aviation industry, and those who are without. It is how we rise to the occasion in handling these issues, while upholding our values and ideals that sets us apart. I thank you all for gracing this occasion, and I realize your being here is a show of faith in our collective commitment to promoting a Safety Culture, and a Safe working environment in our airports. I thank you for your commitment in ensuring an improvement of stable Safety Quality in the aviation sphere. On a final note, I wish to emphasize that with all of us working together and in tandem, great things can be achieved.”