Sydney Airport is committed to delivering the highest levels of safety and security of everyone who comes in to contact with our operations or any of the activities under our control.

Governance

The Safety, Security and Sustainability (SSS) Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its safety responsibilities. The SSS Committee Charter sets out its objectives and functions.

The Safety Steering Committee is an executive level group chaired by the CEO that monitors all aspects of safety across our operations.

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for organisational and aviation safety in SYD’s Safety Management System.

Executives and people leaders have a lead and lag safety KPIs designed to drive safety culture and best practice throughout our organisation.

Our Safety & Wellbeing Policy sets out this commitment and our objectives in line with the legislative requirements of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) & Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW).

Management

Our Safety Management System operates across our organisation to identify, assess and manage safety issues and risks. It covers aviation safety, work health and safety, wellbeing, emergency, and safety training and applies to all workers at Sydney Airport including employees, contractors, sub-contractors, in-house consultants, and volunteers.

Our SMS meets civil aviation and workplace health and safety requirements relevant to our operations, and supports a safe culture in everything we do, and aligns with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Manual of Standards (Part 139) (MOS) and AS/NZS ISO 45001.

Wildlife and aviation safety

Wildlife in and around the airfield can pose a safety risk and can cause damage to the aircraft. For both passenger and wildlife safety, we do everything we can to divert wildlife from making the airfield their permanent home.

We actively manage those animals whose natural habitat is the airport precinct. We work closely with the Australian Museum to identify bird species through their DNA, to help us gain a better understanding of various species.

Our Wildlife Management Plan has been in place since 2003 and is a requirement of the Federal Government. The plan sets out how we monitor wildlife at the airport, assess risks and hazards posed by animals and sets expectations for data collection to understand animal patterns and behaviour.

The airfield team constantly roams the aerodrome to ensure birds are not jeopardising the safety of aircraft operations and use a range of strategies to disperse birds through noise, which includes pyrotechnics, shotguns, air rifles and sirens.

Our Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Management Strategy guides our management of FOD on the airfield. We produce a monthly report using statistical analysis and spatial mapping to identify the key types and locations of FOD on the airfield.

Health and wellbeing

Sydney Airport is committed to providing a mentally and physically healthy work environment that supports staff to achieve optimum health by staying active, connecting with others, being informed, fulfilling potential and having each other’s back.

We recognise each of our people will experience matters that can influence their health and wellbeing.

Our health and wellbeing strategy focuses on building better health and wellbeing by:

• understanding the mental health of our staff through psychosocial risk assessments, mental health audits and reviewing feedback from engagement surveys
• increasing mental health awareness through training programs, talks and webinars, participation in RUOK and World Mental Health Day activities, internal champions across the business and a dedicated intranet page
• equipping leaders to support staff with mental health concerns through training programs, facilitated discussions, mental health first aid training, and a manager assist hotline
• supporting staff with mental health issues via access to Sydney Airport’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), mental health first aid training, mental health and wellbeing resources and training programs

Sydney Airport provides access to free professional, independent, and confidential counselling for employees and contractors and members of their immediate family through our EAP. Our EAP service offers information and resources via a Wellbeing portal that is available to all staff and a Manager Assist Hotline to provide people leaders with additional support and guidance. It also provides financial, legal, manager support and general counselling services.

Our health and wellbeing commitment is supported by a number of initiatives including an annual health & wellbeing subsidy towards any health and wellbeing activity, three wellbeing days of leave per year and a flu vaccination program.

Sydney Airport also has a number of policies that support the health and wellbeing of our people including:

• Code of Conduct
• Appropriate Workplace Behaviour Policy
• Critical Incident Support Policy
• Return to Work Policy
• Fatigue Management Policy
• Flex@SYD - Flexible Work Policy
• Domestic Violence Leave Policy

Business continuity and resilience

Sydney Airport, as a certified aerodrome, is required to have an Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) which sets out the plan to provide a timely, measured and coordinated response to, and initial recovery from, a major incident or emergency at Sydney Airport.

Responsibility for emergency preparedness, response and investigation sits with Sydney Airport’s General Manager, Operations and the Chief Aviation Officer.

The AEP outlines Sydney Airport’s emergency management arrangements with respect to the governance, coordination, roles and responsibilities of agencies and communication with stakeholders. Supporting plans have been developed where specialised responses are required.

The AEP is reviewed at least every twelve months and/or as soon as practicable following an emergency exercise or activation of the AEP. The review is conducted by Sydney Airport, in consultation with the Airport Emergency Committee (AEC), agencies and organisations referred to in the plan.

Sydney Airport’s emergency planning is developed in compliance with Federal and State Government and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations. The Sydney AEP is a sub plan of the Local Disaster Plan (Displan) under the provisions of the NSW State Emergency Management Pan (EMPLAN) and the New South Wales State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 (SERM Act 1989).

Modular exercises are conducted over the course of the year and a full field exercise is held every two years to test the coordinated response and the adequacy of the procedures and facilities outlined in the plan. Sydney Airport undertakes regular audits of all equipment, facilities, and supplies associated with the AEP.

Desktop exercises are conducted every year in consultation with the AEC. Additional exercises, desktops, drills and testing are carried out in consultation with the AEC, responding agencies and/or as deemed necessary by Sydney Airport.

Business Continuity Plans are in place across business functions that have been identified as critical to the airport’s operation. These plans outline strategies to be implemented to maintain, or minimise impacts to, levels of service in the event of a disruption to critical services.

Airport stakeholders and the general public can call the Integrated Operations Centre to report emergencies and/or request assistance. This line is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Matters requiring additional action are referred to the Sydney Airport Duty Manager.