Airport staff embrace safety week

STAFF and management at the Whitsunday Coast Airport are celebrating a successful Airport Safety Week, conducted from September 29-October 3.

The week, which was an Australasian Airport initiative aimed at promoting safety, included a number of activities focused on maintaining a safe environment for all airport users.

Council employees, security staff, ground crew, airline partners and even the airport’s cafe operators, were all involved in various parts of the initiative.

On Wednesday, participants undertook a Foreign Object Debris (FOD) walk, which involved all staff heading airside and walking a section of the apron to scan for FOD and raise awareness of airport safety.

Whitsunday Mayor Jennifer Whitney said the walk focused on the management of rubbish and other alien objects that could cause a hazard to safe aircraft operations. Friday was High Visibility Day, when all staff donned Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while going about their normal roles that day.

Cr Whitney said overall the week was a success and “went very well” for all the employees involved.

“The Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Walk and High Visibility Day, with all staff wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were good opportunities for staff to step outside their comfort zones and see how other areas of the airport operate,” she said.

“There was great enthusiasm and participation from all [involved], with the whole Airport Safety Week being a very productive exercise.”