LONDON Stansted has become the first airport operator in the UK to obtain the OHSAS18001, an international standard for occupational health and safety management systems.

LONDON Stansted has become the first airport operator in the UK to obtain the OHSAS18001, an international standard for occupational health and safety management systems.

A benchmark that compliments the ISO14001 status held by the airport since 2005 for environmental management, and an achievement that makes Stansted the only airport in the UK to have achieved both standards.

"Following a nine month implementation programme and rigorous independent assessment we have been delighted to become the first UK airport operator certified to this international standard for health and safety management systems," said Stansted managing director David Johnston.

"The transparency and independence of external verification against the OHSAS18001 management standard clearly demonstrates the kind of culture we are building at Stansted. We want to make a public commitment to get better and achieving this certification marks a clear step toward this ethos.

"Certification to OHSAS18001 commits us to a path of continuing improvement, but maintaining it will only be made possible through the commitment and dedication of many staff across the business, so I'd like to thank everyone for their efforts to date and for their continuing support as we move forward."

The independent assessors noted a series of initiatives developed by BAA at Stansted, including new procedures in security to reduce physical demands on officers manually handling passenger hand luggage.

Also, the introduction of 'near miss boards' designed to encourage staff to report health and safety hazards, to increase the number of risks identified and reduce the risk of an actual even or accident occurring.

Pictured (from left) Simon Bown (health and safety manager) and Kathy Morrissey (environment compliance manager) with the OHSAS18001 and ISO14001 certificates.