Become a NOMIC Ramp observer
You've been chosen because you're an expert in ramp work. The course turns that expertise into reliable observations: seeing normal work clearly, saying what you see, and coding it the same way as other observers. Your observations show where the ramp is at risk, and they are how it gets safer.
Start module 1 (sign in) Printable course pack
The course is for airlines, ground handlers and airports. Sign in with your work email, or ask for access.
Seven short modules you can do at your own pace, then practice on the ramp with an experienced observer. Practice exercises check how closely your coding agrees with expert observers. Reach the pass mark and you get a certificate of completion.
The course teaches the original method used by LOSA and the first ramp programme, with Safety-II alongside it. Each module shows which it covers.
Why look at normal work Original method Safety-II
Incidents are the tip of the iceberg; normal work is everything under the water line. Where LOSA came from and why airlines trust it. Safety-I and Safety-II, work as imagined and work as done. About 45 minutes.
The ground rules and your role Original method
Voluntary, de-identified and non-jeopardy, and why trust is everything. Being a fly on the wall. When to step in. About 45 minutes.
What to look for: the original method Original method
The four phases. Threat and Error Management on the ramp: threats, variations, undesired states, and how teams manage them. The original card sort. About 1 hour.
Seeing what goes right Safety-II
Safety-II principles: why most turnarounds go well, everyday variations, trade-offs, looking at the system. Enablers, good practice (Plan, Coordinate, Adapt, Learn), the purpose of variations, and avoiding hindsight. About 1 hour.
Say what you see Original method Safety-II
What and how, not why. Time order, plain words, the good as well as the bad. A full example from the original training, and phone dictation. About 1 hour, with practice.
Coding Original method Safety-II
The app and the coding guide; original and Safety-II codes side by side; common mix-ups. Practice exercises scored against the agreed answer. About 2 hours, including exercises.
Checking together and what happens next Original method Safety-II
The data verification roundtable, results, Expand and Shrink, and Learning Teams. About 45 minutes.
Practice on the ramp
Two or three live observations with an experienced observer or the programme lead: notes, coding, sending. Then a debrief.
Check your understanding
Each module ends with a few questions. For example:
- What does "confidential, non-jeopardy" mean, and why does it matter?
- Name the four phases of a turnaround.
- What's the difference between a threat and a variation?
- Give an example of an enabler you've seen this week.
- Rewrite this note so it says what and how, not why: "The loader was rushing because they were late."
- When should an observer step in?
The certificate
Complete the modules, then code a set of practice exercises. Your coding is compared with the agreed answer from experienced observers: how many codes match, and how well you agree on the categories. Reach the pass mark and you can download a certificate of completion.
Your scores stay on your device. They are for your own learning and the observer team's coaching, never for reports.