Cornwall Airport Newquay Wins Health & Safety Award: Our Commitment to Safety Shines
At Cornwall Airport Newquay, safety isn’t just a priority—it’s embedded in everything we do. Our recent win at the AirportsUK Health & Safety Awards 2024, where we took home the prize in the Small Airport category, reflects our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of safety. Here’s a look at the initiatives that earned us this prestigious recognition during the UK Airports Health & Safety Week.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
We made PPE a key focus during Health & Safety Week, refreshing our PPE poster with a familiar face from our team to promote inclusivity and pride in safety. Working with top brands like Bolle, SC Johnson, Rockfall, Key Point, and JSP, we hosted an extensive PPE demonstration showcasing the latest in safety gear. To boost staff engagement, we held a “Count the Ear Defenders in the Jar” competition, adding a fun and interactive element to the campaign.
Working at Height
Recognising the risks that come with working at height, we organised ladder inspections and hosted workshops on hazard perception management. These sessions were designed to ensure our team is well-equipped to identify and mitigate the risks associated with working at elevated levels, reinforcing a proactive approach to safety.
Airside Environment Safety
Our efforts to improve airside safety were equally robust. We delivered comprehensive Airside Safety Briefings and hosted an engaging Airside Driving Workshop, which reinforced best practices in high-risk areas. A highlight was the opportunity for our team to participate in a push-back ride along with larger aircraft, giving them first-hand experience of key airside operations.
We also partnered with local charity Beach Guardians for our unique FOD (Foreign Object Debris) Plod at Watergate Bay Beach, located right at the end of our runway. This initiative, along with our FOD Plod on the aerodrome, highlighted the critical role of keeping our operating environment safe and clean. To further enhance our preparedness, we provided CPR and defibrillator training and conducted fire warden training for staff, ensuring everyone is equipped to respond effectively in emergencies.
Collaborative and Educational Activities
Collaboration is key to our success. During the Safety Swap Shop, we teamed up with RNAS Culdrose, a military air station, to exchange best practices. This partnership allowed us to learn from their experience and apply new safety approaches in our operations. Our Bird Control Unit (BCU) awareness sessions further enhanced our team’s understanding of managing wildlife hazards, which is essential for maintaining airside safety.
Continuous Improvement and Just Culture
Safety at Cornwall Airport Newquay is a shared responsibility. Our Health & Safety Committee, which includes representatives from all departments, meets regularly to discuss concerns and improvements. An anonymous reporting system empowers staff to raise issues, helping us continuously refine our Safety Management System (SMS) and ensure that safety remains a daily practice for everyone on our team.
Why Cornwall Airport Newquay Stands Out
What makes Cornwall Airport Newquay truly unique is that we deliver all of our services 100% in-house. This allows our team to uphold the high safety standards we’ve set, giving us the opportunity to shine and compete with airports of all sizes. From PPE demonstrations to collaborative activities with RNAS Culdrose and the FOD Plods at Watergate Bay Beach, our initiatives showcase our commitment to making safety a shared responsibility across the airport.
During UK Airports Health & Safety Week, our team hosted more than 40 separate activities from 13 – 19 May 2024. By integrating these efforts into our daily operations and fostering an environment where safety is everyone’s responsibility, we have set a new benchmark for other airports. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in creating a safe, secure, and welcoming airport environment.
Winning the AirportsUK Health & Safety Award is a proud moment for Team NQY, but it also serves as motivation to keep improving, learning, and leading the way in safety.
Here’s to a safer tomorrow, today!
Team NQY
