NOMIC Ramp · nomicramp.com · [email protected]

1. Get backing

   Management and the workforce agree in writing that nothing seen is used against anyone, so crews work as normal.

   The programme lead takes the business case to management, then agrees the rules with management and the workforce (and unions, where there are any): voluntary, de-identified and never used for discipline, so crews can be watched working as they normally do. The data protection officer reviews the assessment.

   Use: business case · agreement · data protection assessment Weeks 1 to 2

   Done when: the agreement is signed.

2. Plan the cycle

   Choose where, when and how many turnarounds to observe, to cover where the risk is.

   Choose the station, the shifts, days, aircraft types and stands to cover, including the busy and difficult ones, not just the easy day shifts, and how many turnarounds: 75 to 100 is a good first look. Add local codes for any procedures of the organisation's own.

   Use: set-up checklist · sampling calculator · local codes Weeks 2 to 3

   Done when: there is a sampling plan with a target for each shift and aircraft type.

3. Choose and train the observers

   4 or 5 trusted ground personnel do the course and practise until they code alike.

   Choose 4 or 5 experienced ground personnel the crews trust. Each does the online course (about 7 hours), codes the practice exercises until their coding agrees with the reference answers, then does 2 or 3 practice observations with support, so every observer records the same turnaround the same way.

   Use: observer selection guide · observer course · observer briefing Weeks 3 to 7

   Done when: every observer has reached the pass mark and done their practice observations.

4. Tell the crews

   Every crew hears what it is, what it isn't, and that they can say no, so no one is surprised.

   Brief the crews before anyone is observed: toolbox talks, the leaflet and the launch message. Say what it is, what it isn't, who sees what, and that any crew can say no, so no crew is surprised by an observer and work carries on as normal.

   Use: crew briefing leaflet · comms kit The week before observing

   Done when: every shift in the sample has been briefed.

5. Observe, code and check

   Observe the planned turnarounds, code each one, and check them together weekly.

   Observers record on their phones, then code each observation after the turnaround. Once a week, 2 or 3 observers meet to check the coding together, so the findings stand up before anything is changed because of them. The programme lead watches progress against the sampling plan and fills any gaps.

   Use: the app · paper form · checking session guide 3 to 4 weeks

   Done when: the planned turnarounds are observed, coded and checked.

6. Read the results

   The tool shows which conditions go with irregular loads, damage and near misses. Crews see it first.

   The results, dashboard and summary report come straight from the checked observations. Pick the few findings that matter most for safety: the conditions that go with irregular loads, damage and near misses. Share them with the crews first, since it is their data, then management.

   Use: the app's results, dashboard and summary report · sample report About 2 days

   Done when: the top findings are chosen and the crews have seen them.

7. Learning Teams

   The people who plan and do the work choose fixes that fit the real job.

   For each top finding, run a 60 to 90 minute Learning Team with the people who plan the work and the people who do it, who know why it happens and what would work. The app makes the pack: the data, quotes from the notes, and questions. Shop talks can add the crews' own explanations.

   Use: the app's Learning Team packs · Learning Team guide · shop talk guide 2 to 4 weeks

   Done when: each top finding has a change chosen to try.

8. Make the changes, then measure again

   Each change gets a person responsible, a date and a measure; the next cycle shows if it worked.

   Put each change into the action plan with a person responsible, a date and one measure to watch, and run it through the safety management system. Tell the crews what is changing because of their data. Once the changes have bedded in, run the next cycle with the same codes, to see whether the risk really went down.

   Use: the app's action plan · comms kit: results messages Then the next cycle

   Done when: the next cycle shows whether each change made the ramp safer.