Executive Deans, Heads of School, Activity Managers (or DSOs) authorising activities being carried out using helicopters (either directly or through a contractor) must ensure that sound contractor procurement and contractor management processes are used to procure and manage helicopter services by:
- Selecting helicopter companies who hold a CAA Air Operator Certificate or an Agricultural Air Operator Certificate, which includes the necessary approvals allowing them to conduct the tasking.
- Documenting health and safety requirements in any contracts.
- Exchanging information regularly with contracted agencies about work sites and risks.
- Monitoring and assessment of the health and safety performance of contractors.
- Ensuring work is covered by a Health and Safety Management plan prior to work commencing.
- Ensuring that training requirements for their workers have been met.
- Ensuring there is in place a comprehensive policy regarding the use of alcohol, prescribed medication, pharmacy drugs, and recreational drugs applicable to all workers used in taskings; and be able to demonstrate that this policy has been implemented.
- Ensuring all accidents, injuries, and near misses are recorded and investigated; and ensure that control measures to prevent reoccurrence are implemented in a timely manner.
How PCBUs with overlapping duties will consult, cooperate and coordinate activities.
- Where PCBUs have overlapping health and safety duties for helicopter operations via a contracting chain or due to sharing a workplace, a Health and Safety Management Plan (or equivalent alternative work planning system) will specify who will carry out specific tasks in the first instance/how work will be carried out/how risks will be managed.
- The extent of each PCBU’s responsibility for health and safety matters in helicopter operations will depend upon their ability to control the hazards and associated risks.
- Regular meetings of PCBUs with overlapping health and safety duties for helicopter operations will be held to discuss health and safety.
Aircraft operators must:
- Ensure work is covered by a Health and Safety Management Plan prior to work commencing.
- Hold a valid NZCAA issued Air Operator Certificate (AOC), or Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate (AAOC).
- Be able to demonstrate their internal process for consulting, cooperating and coordinating with other PCBUs including the contracting agency.
- Ensure that training requirements for their workers have been met. For clarification this requirement covers the pilot, air crew and ground support crew, including refuelling, loading/unloading and sling lifting and loading equipment.
- Ensure their company has a comprehensive policy regarding the use of alcohol, prescribed medication, pharmacy drugs, and recreational drugs applicable to all crew used in taskings; and be able to demonstrate that this policy has been implemented.
- Ensure all accidents, injuries, and near misses are recorded and investigated; and ensure that control measures to prevent reoccurrence are implemented in a timely manner.
- Maintain necessary certifications for the helicopter/equipment (e.g. mounting rig, slings etc).
- Undertaking, and being able to produce evidence of, training and competency in specific knowledge or skills where required.
- Ensure CAA Special Flight Rules and General Operating and Flight Rules are complied with including, maximum take-off weight, third party risks to take-off distance and flight path, operations over congested areas.
- Aircraft is equipped with a shoulder harness for each crew seat.
Helicopter requirements
Helicopters must be fit for the task they are being used for, in respect of capability and performance under both normal and emergency circumstances.
- Operated within their design limitations e.g. for loads
- Operated in a way that is appropriate for the prevailing weather conditions and terrain, including CAA Special Flight Rules and General Operating and Flight Rules.
- Aircraft shall be operated in accordance with (where relevant):
- Civil Aviation Rules (or for military aircraft, Aviation Orders).
- Aircraft Flight Manual
- Aircraft operator’s Exposition and SMS Manual.
- Documented Standard Operating Procedures.
- Documented Hazard ID and Risk Assessments (including risk control measures).
- Documented Job Safety Analysis or Tailgate discussions.
- Only civilian helicopters listed on a helicopter company’s CAA Air Operator Certificate or Agricultural Air Operator Certificate may be used (and there must be adherence to the operations/approval specifications, safety systems and procedures of the certificate).
- Any type of helicopter listed in the current TAIC watch list [accessible at: https://www.taic.org.nz/watchlist] should not be used in helicopter operations. For clarification, UC has the same duty of care to pilots and passengers, therefore whether helicopter work with the pilot flying solo is planned, or pilot and passenger helicopter work is planned, this must not be carried out using any type of helicopter listed in the current TAIC watch list. For the avoidance of doubt, this means that Robinson helicopters (which are in the current TAIC watchlist) may not be used
Security of doors and latches
The aircraft operator’s documented procedures or SMS shall include procedures to ensure that all aircraft door closing mechanisms, cowl latches and exterior locker/pod/basket or role equipment security catches are correctly adjusted to prevent inadvertent release or failure of its intended purpose during flight.
The operator shall be able to demonstrate their procedure that will ensure the security of all door mechanisms, cowl latches and exterior locker/pod/basket or role equipment catches will be assured prior to any take-off.
Helicopter pilots, operational staff and ground crew shall:
- Comply with relevant Civil Aviation Rules and associated Advisory Circulars, Aircraft Flight Manuals, Operations Manuals throughout the tasking.
- Deliver a safety briefing, including emergency procedures, to anyone who will be a passenger before that person travels on the helicopter for the first time that day, or ensure that another suitably qualified person delivers the safety briefing.
- Ensure radio communications/hand signal systems are in place prior to undertaking any operation.
- Ensure they know any agreed hand signals (if required) prior to undertaking any operation. For example, operational staff carrying out helicopter work in remote areas will need to know agreed hand signals to communicate about the preparation and management of temporary landing zones.
- Ensure flight plans and weather reports and conditions are considered are recorded.
- Ensure requirements for internal loads (including passengers, and equipment) and the aircrafts external maximum take-off weight loads and lifting sling type and ratings are met.
- Ensure that internal and external loads are rigged and loaded appropriately, including considering weights, sling lifting types and load ratings. NB: Trained ground crew may accept responsibility for this when the pilot is occupied. Refuse, discontinue or defer any requested activity, if it is necessary to maintain the safety of the helicopter and of those involved in the operation.
- Ensure flight tracking is on and being monitored.
- Ensure all known hazards and risks within the flight zone have been identified and mitigated and logged in to the aircraft GPS, including flight path powerlines, overhead electric fence wires, aerials, uprights, and obstacles.
- Ensure that all requirements for the type and use of PPE are met.
- Ensure appropriate communication and survival equipment are carried (and worn when required) during helicopter operations.
- Ensure the appropriate safety requirements for carriage of dangerous goods are followed.
- Ensure operational staff are trained in, and can safely use, specialist equipment installed on a modified aircraft.
UC Activity Manager travelling in a helicopter for a particular tasking (who is able to observe and confirm the below on the day) must:
- Ensure that the tasking is understood by all persons involved in the activity.
- Ensure all people involved in a helicopter operation receive a helicopter safety briefing recorded and signed off by all parties, including emergency procedures, from the pilot/other suitably qualified person before going up in the air, and (if relevant) by the operations manager in charge of ground-based activities associated with the helicopter operation before carrying out the operation.
- Ensure radio communications/hand signal systems are in place prior to undertaking any operation..
Other passengers in helicopters include UC staff, students, volunteers, and staff from other organisations must:
- Be trained in helicopter awareness and safety.
- Have received the prescribed health/safety briefings.
- Be aware of the risks associated with the flight.
- Follow the directions given in safety briefings, and any other directions given by the pilot.
- Advise the pilot if they have any dangerous goods with them.
- Raise any health and safety concerns they have.
Any person may refuse to fly in a helicopter being used for UC work if they feel an unsafe condition exists.
