First Edition 2015

APRON SAFETY HANDBOOK

First Edition 2015

Authors: ACI World Safety & Technical Standing Committee (Subgroup)

Written by: Ian Redhead (Kansas City International Airport); PP Singh (Delhi International Airport
Limited); Henning Pfisterer (Hamad Airport, Doha); Karl Brochu (Montréal Trudeau
Airport); Jean-Noel Massot (Aéroports de Paris); Rolf Liebscher (Fraport); John Kim
(IIAC and ACI World); Yasushi Oshima (Narita Airport); Thomas B. Duffy (Safegate
Airport Systems)

Reviewed by: Ian Redhead (Kansas City International Airport); PP Singh (Delhi Airport); Karl Brochu
(Montréal Airport); Carol Kavish and Paul Davis (GTAA); David Gamper (ACI World);
John Kim (IIAC and ACI World); Nicholas Ratledge (ACI World)

Coordinated by: John Kim (IIAC and ACI World) and Nicholas Ratledge (ACI World)

Published by: ACI World, Montréal, Canada

 DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this publication is subject to constant assessment in light of changing
requirements and regulations. No subscriber or other reader should act on the basis of any such
information without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without obtaining appropriate
professional advice. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Airports Council
International (ACI) shall not be held responsible for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions,
misprints or misinterpretation of the contents hereof. Furthermore, ACI expressly disclaims all and any
liability to any person, whether a purchaser of this publication or not, in respect of anything done or
omitted, and the consequences of anything done or omitted, by any such person through reliance on
the contents of this publication.

No part of the Apron Safety Handbook may be reproduced, recast, reformatted or transmitted in
any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or use of any
information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from:

Director, Safety and Technical

ACI World

800 rue de Square Victoria

Suite 1810, P.O Box 302
Montreal, Quebec H4Z 1G8
Canada

Apron Safety Handbook

First Edition (2015)

Copies of this publication are available from: Publications Department

Airports Council International
800 rue de Square Victoria
Suite 1810, P.O Box 302
Montreal, Quebec H4Z 1G8
Canada
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.aci.aero

ISBN 978-1-927907-41-2
©2015 Airports Council International. All rights reserved.

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FOREWORD
ACI is proud to present the new Apron Safety Handbook, which is updated and
expanded from Chapter 2 of the Airside Safety Handbook (4th edition). We have
decided to divide the Airside Safety Handbook into separate Handbooks: Runway
Safety (published in 2014), SMS (in development) and Apron Safety.

Aprons are often the most congested and busiest areas of an airport. They are
home to demanding and complex activities that are carried out under severe
space and time constraints. The new handbook remains short and succinct, and
provides best practices for planning and design of apron layouts and facilities,
standard operational practices for safe apron operations, and mitigation and
prevention measures for maintenance and construction activities on aprons.

The subject is clearly of great importance to aerodrome operators, who want to avoid or mitigate
all foreseeable risks of accidents occurring. These issues have been discussed many times at ACI
conferences and committee meetings, and ACI therefore feels that it has the responsibility to put
forward a best practice guide to assist its members.

ACI would like to thank all the Safety & Technical Standing Committee members who have contributed
to developing the handbook.

I would remind you that, in the area of staff development, ACI’s Global Training offers a range of
courses relevant to apron safety, available both in the classroom and online.

Angela Gittens
Director General
ACI World

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 CONTENTS

DISCLAIMER i
FOREWORD ii
INTRODUCTION vii

1 APRON SAFETY 1

1.1 Apron Safety 1

1.2 Apron (Airside) Workplace Health and Safety 1
1.3 Personal Protective Equipment   2
1.4 Safety Promotion 3
1.4.1 Safety Culture (Multiple Stakeholders) 3
1.4.2 Safety Communication 4
1.4.3 Safety Promotion Campaigns 4
1.4.4 Apron Safety Committee 5
1.5 Accident, Incident and Occurrence Reporting 5
1.6 Stakeholder Agreement 6
1.7 Smoking, Drug and Alcohol Policies 6

2 APRON PLANNING AND DESIGN 8

2.1 Apron Types and Considerations 9
2.1.1 Passenger Terminal Apron   9
2.1.2 Remote Apron   10
2.1.3 Cargo Terminal Apron 10
2.1.4 De-icing Apron   10
2.1.5 Maintenance Apron   11
2.2 Apron Layout 12
2.2.1 Aircraft Stands 13
2.2.2 Alternative Stand Lead-in Lines 16
2.2.3 Alternative Aircraft Stand Taxilanes 17
2.2.4 Service Roads 17
2.2.5 Ground Support Equipment Staging and Storage Areas 18
2.2.6 Other Considerations for Apron Layout 20
2.3 Stand Facilities 20
2.3.1 Passenger Boarding Bridge 21
2.3.2 Fuel Hydrant 25
2.3.3 Fixed Electrical Ground Power 25
2.3.4 Pre-Conditioned Air System 25
2.3.5 Visual Docking Guidance System 25
2.3.6 Potable Water 26
2.3.7 Waste Collection and Disposal 26
2.3.8 Fire Extinguishers 27

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2.3.9 Foreign Object Debris Bins 27
2.3.10 Marshaller Stand 28
2.4 Apron Visual Aids 28
2.4.1 Markings and Signs 28
2.4.2 Apron Floodlighting 31
2.4.3 Aircraft Stand Manoeuvring Guidance Lights 32
2.4.4 Road Holding Position Lights 32
2.5 Other Safety Considerations 32
2.5.1 Jet Blast Fences 32
2.5.2 Tethering Systems and Tail Stands 34
2.5.3 Road Traffic Mirrors 34
2.5.4 Control Tower Location 34
2.5.5 Lightning Detection/Warning System 35

3 OPERATIONS 36
3.1 Vehicle Operation   36
3.1.1 Airside Vehicle Permit    36
3.1.2 Vehicle Operation Requirements 37
3.2 Apron (Airside) Driving   38
3.2.1 Airside Driving Permit 38
3.2.2 Driving Training Programme 39
3.3 Airside Driving Regulations   41
3.3.1 Traffic Control 41
3.3.2 Speed Limits   41
3.3.3 Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems 42
3.3.4 Enforcement and Sanction Policy   43
3.4 Aircraft Operations 43
3.4.1 Engine Starts/Idling Engines   43
3.4.2 Reverse Thrust   44
3.4.3 Jet Blast 44
3.4.4 Engine Run-ups 44
3.4.5 Aircraft Pushback Procedures 45
3.4.6 Follow Me Service 46
3.5 Ground Handling 47
3.5.1 Marshalling (Signalling) 47
3.5.2 Waste Collection, Disposal and Recycling 48
3.5.3 Passenger Boarding Bridge Operation and Training 48
3.5.4 Baggage Make-up Areas 51
3.5.5 Dangerous Goods 52
3.6 Aircraft Fuelling 52
3.6.1 Fuelling with Passengers on Board 53
3.6.2 Grounding 54
3.6.3 Fuel and Oil Spill Cleanup 55
3.7 Apron Management 56
3.7.1 Apron Inspection 57
3.7.2 Stand Allocation 58
3.7.3 Turnaround Process 61
3.8 Foreign Object Debris Prevention 62

iv
 3.8.1 Sweeping and Surface Cleaning 63
3.8.2 Tool Management 63
3.9 Passenger Safety 64
3.9.1 Movement of Passengers on Apron 64
3.10 Adverse Weather Operations 65
3.10.1 Low Visibility Operation 65
3.10.2 Snow Removal and Pavement De-icing 66
3.10.3 Strong Winds 66
3.10.4 Storms – Lightning 67
3.10.5 Storms – Sand, Dust and Volcanic Ash 70
3.10.6 Storms – Rain 71
3.10.7 Aircraft De-icing 71
3.11 Rescue and Fire Fighting 71
3.11.1 Response to Apron Emergencies 72
3.11.2 Emergency Equipment 73
3.11.3 Emergency Command and Control System 74
3.11.4 Notification Procedures 74
3.11.5 Fire Suppression Systems 74
3.11.6 Evacuation Procedures 75

4 APRON MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION 78

4.1 Apron Infrastructure and Facilities Maintenance 78

4.2 Construction on Apron   79
4.3 Preparing for Maintenance and Construction Activities 79
4.4 Preventive Activities in Maintenance or Construction Areas 81
4.5 Protection of Construction Areas    81
4.6 Return to Operation    82

5 ANNEXES 83

A References 83
B Abbreviations 84
C Boarding Bridge Checklist Prior to Arrival of Aircraft 86
D Boarding Bridge Operational Safety Inspection Checklist 88
E Turnaround Inspection Checklist 90
F Example of Ground Handling Supervision Requirement 93
G Example of Work Permit for Maintenance or Construction 94

v
INTRODUCTION
With the growth of air traffic, apron operations have become increasingly complex. More and larger
aircraft, changes in ground support equipment and faster turnaround times all contribute to the challenge
of improving apron safety.

No single document provides consistent and thorough guidance on apron safety, although various
bodies have produced guidance covering different aspects of apron safety, according to the views and
tasks of different stakeholders.

This handbook is intended to complement such material by offering additional guidance which brings
together the best elements of managing apron safety from current experience of those involved in this
important task at airport operators around the world.

It provides aerodrome operators with a comprehensive set of guidelines to enhance safety, to improve
operations and to prevent or reduce accidents, incidents and occurrences on the apron:

• Apron Safety describes how to establish a programme that covers all the major aspects of
apron safety, including workplace health and safety, and how to promote safety culture
among multiple stakeholders;

• Apron Planning and Design explains considerations for various apron types, guidance on
apron layout, requirements for apron facilities and other apron safety best practices for
planning and design;

• Apron Operations provides day-to-day apron operations procedures and requirements; and

• Apron Maintenance and Construction gives ideas and recommendations in regard to

construction in the apron area and to maintenance of apron infrastructure.

This handbook is derived from the ACI Airside Safety Handbook (4th edition, 2010), which is being
divided into the Runway Safety Handbook, the Apron Safety Handbook and the SMS Handbook. Its
scope is more specific and detailed than the Airside Safety Handbook, and it complements the new
Runway Safety Handbook and SMS Handbook.

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ISBN 978-1-927907-41-2