Question:

We are due to do some installs at nine airports over the next two months.
Do you know if there is a single form you can fill out that covers every airport as it’s becoming a bit of a pain filling out each individual set of Rams.
Heathrow are telling us we need to go to site for a meeting.

Replies:

1. Unfortunately, no, each airport will have its own Airport security and they will have to apply to each one, we do work at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh and all are separate to each other.
2. Annoyingly, there is not a single form – each Airport sets its own standard.
3. I would think that with such high-profile sites it is pretty certain that RAMS will have to be site-specific.
   A generic single form would not be accepted.
   We have had experience of this with Luton airport both for an installation (airside) and multiple service engineer’s attendances (airside and landside).
   Being called to site to sit through a site contractors Health & Safety brief is quite common – despite the inconvenience it’s rarely avoidable, if requested. In the interests of distributor/contractor relations it is also probably best to comply!
4. I can confidently say that no, there is no 1 single form you can fill in. It’s all down to the individual site requirements! Painful, I know. The best thing is to get each RAMS done and accepted – I always get them for the remainder of the year I am applying for.
5. I have had experience at three airports, Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton.
   The last two use a P2W (permit to work) system and you need a separate log into both, Gatwick was the hardest to deal with and on one occasion it took me four weeks to get one permit approved. With both, you had to attend a training course with the relevant FM company to use the system and to understand their expectations on information being provided.
   Heathrow was a nightmare and yes you had to attend site meetings. I had a couple of occasions where we had installs of one appliance in and one out. The client managed to do the donkey work on organising the work and I only had to provide rams.
   On all sites the attending engineers will have to be vetted so that a contractors pass can be issued.
   If the work is considered airside this can take longer for a pass to be issued.
   If they have to take a delivery vehicle airside, more hoops to jump through.
   One last thing, if the installs are into what is considered a construction site then CDM Regulations 2015 will apply, good luck with adhering to those.
   Not sure that helps but airports are difficult ones until you get in the door, then it’s easy.
6. RAMS need to be site specific, your method statement might be generic across the scope of works that you will undertake on each site, but the access route, working conditions in each different environment will be different thus the hazards/ risk and how you intend to deal with them will be site specific and different on each instance.
   I certainly expect that Heathrow would need a site visit as it’s a high security environment,
   and with enormous implications if an incident occurs for both its operation and the public.
7. Each airport has its own requirements and there is no shortcut/easy solution.
8. There isn’t any one form as airports are owned by different companies.  It is correct that you have to jump through hoops to get access. This is by no means an easy achievement.  We currently do work for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow and Gatwick and it is best that you first contact the Customer Support Centre at csc@gatwickairport.com
   I have telephoned them and they have said if you email them they will give instructions, however , they can only advise on the airports that are owned by the same company.
9. I would strongly advise that the CEDA member embraces the opportunity to visit site as RAMS must capture site specific access constraints. If an accident occurred to an engineer or member of the public and an agreed delivery route / method of delivery hadn’t been identified the CEDA member would be exposed. Generic RAMS should never be accepted. Whilst the additional expense and time of the meeting may want to be avoided it will likely offer the member a solution to devising the most efficient, safe and approved method of getting goods to their final destination.