Lessons in safety – January 2026

Can you tell us about East Midlands Airport’s approach to health and safety?

As a complex, high-risk operational environment, we recognise that a strong safety culture is fundamental to maintaining safe, efficient, and resilient operations.

Our approach is centred on leadership, competence and culture. We are firm believers that competence is a key enabler in improving behaviour and culture, ensuring that everyone, from frontline colleagues to senior leaders, has the knowledge, skills, and confidence to work safely and make the right decisions. This belief underpins our investment in safety training across all business areas.

We operate under an ISO 45001-certified management system, which provides a structured framework for continual improvement and proactive risk management. Our safety governance model encourages ownership at all levels, supported by clear processes for hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigation.

A vital part of our culture is engagement and visibility. We promote open reporting of near misses and safety observations, viewing them as opportunities for learning rather than blame. Through initiatives like safety boards, QR reporting codes, and team briefings, we make safety a shared responsibility across colleagues, contractors, and stakeholders.

How do you go about identifying health and safety training priorities? 

We conduct both a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and a Training Frequency Analysis (TFA) to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements, ISO 45001 standards, and cultural improvement goals.

Each department maintains its own TNA, tailored to its specific risks and operational needs. Training priorities are further informed by data from incidents, audits, and safety observations. This ensures training is not only compliance-focused but also drives competence, cultural improvement, and behavioural change across the organisation.

East Midlands Airport is accredited to deliver NEBOSH qualifications to its own staff. Why did you choose this training approach?

Firstly, it enables us to deliver high-quality, nationally recognised training in-house, which has been tailored to the specific risks and operational realities of our airport environment. This ensures our training is not only compliant but also relevant, engaging, and immediately applicable to the roles our colleagues perform.

Secondly, being accredited in our own right demonstrates EMA’s commitment to competence and continuous improvement. We believe that competence is a key enabler, and delivering NEBOSH courses internally reinforces that belief by embedding a strong learning culture.

We can also deliver training around our operational needs, aligned with our own procedures, without relying on external providers. It enhances our employer brand and credibility, supports career development for colleagues, and helps attract and retain skilled professionals who value ongoing development.

How did you choose the courses you deliver to your staff?

We selected qualifications that align with our strategic priorities, cultural ambitions, and operational needs. The courses we deliver are: 

• Incident Investigation – understanding and learning from incidents, ensuring the focus is on learning and prevention, not the attribution of blame.
• Managing Risks and Risk Assessment – ensuring colleagues at all levels understand how to identify, assess, and control risks in line with our ISO 45001 management system.
• Health and Safety Leadership – providing our senior leaders and managers with the insight to understand how their behaviours and decisions influence safety culture. It’s particularly beneficial in strengthening visible safety leadership and aligning our strategic objectives with day-to-day actions.
• Managing Stress at Work – identifying stressors early, providing appropriate support, and fostering an open and supportive culture around mental health.

Read Shane’s extended interview here: www.nebosh.org.uk/east-midlands-airport

Shane Berry is the head of health, safety and fire safety at East Midlands Airport. For more information, visit www.nebosh.org