Citation

Bennett SA, Shaw AP. Hum. Factors Aerosp. Safety 2003; 3(4): 333-352.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Ashgate Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Incidents and accidents on the ramp cost the aviation industry significant sums of money. In the UK ramp-working has a higher accident rate than farm labouring. Irwin and Wynne assert that workers' experiential knowledge can make a useful contribution to the assessment and management of workplace risk. This view finds expression in their Risk Communication model of risk assessment and management. Fifty ramp workers were interviewed at three UK airports. Many admitted to not following procedures. A number of reasons were given - including a perception that workplace rules and procedures failed to take adequate account of the 'lived experience' of ramp-working. Assuming that the interviewees' testimony had some basis in fact it is suggested that managers could use workers' experiential knowledge to improve the relevance and functionality of rules and procedures. Rules and procedures developed in this way might be followed more closely than those developed from 'ideal-type', decontextualised models of ramp-working.