The health and safety of everyone who comes into contact with our operations is of paramount importance. This includes our passengers and employees as well as our contractors and business partners. There are many potential hazards associated with airport operations. These vary from slips and falls to the complex procedures involved in moving aircraft, fuel and heavy equipment. Ensuring health and safety in all parts of our operations requires diligent design and planning, rigorous management systems, training and awareness, and an open culture in which failures are investigated and lessons are shared.

Our safety vision is 'protecting the people we care about, now and in the future'. To achieve this we operate a Managing Responsibly system to ensure health, safety and security remain a high priority and are central in all key decision making. This robust health and safety management system focuses on the management of risk, training and continually monitors our work activities. We also recognise that ownership of health, safety and security at every level is essential in order to ensure that our passengers, business partners and staff continue to enjoy the airport experience. 

Health and safety at the airport is regulated by a number of enforcing authorities including the Health and Safety Executive, Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services.

Airfield safety

The airport is also responsible for maintaining safety on the airfield. This requires a rigorous inspection regime. Our staff regularly inspect runways, taxiways and aircraft stands to keep them free from debris as well as signs, markings and lights essential to the safety of aircraft and vehicles.

The airport’s dedicated inspection team ensure that airside drivers and support organisations drive and park vehicles in a safe manner and all equipment is maintained in good condition. The team also co-ordinate the use of equipment to keep airports as free from snow and ice as possible, as well as plans for dealing with fog, high winds and electrical storms.

The operational and safety employees are also trained to work with local emergency services, as well as the airport’s very own dedicated fire service. They regularly take part in emergency exercises with police, fire and ambulance services and local authority and voluntary groups.