Are they safe?
Concerns have been raised in the past about the WTMD affecting various heath conditions or pregnancy.
considered safe for all, including pregnant women. The same holds true for the HHMDs.
The electromagnetic field produced is A WTMD
should not interfere with a pacemaker although the metal in it may sound the alarm. That said, passengers should check with their doctor regarding the behaviour of their own model of pacemaker in the presence of a magnetic field.
The interpretation of the information As with all technology, a metal detector is only as good as its operator or those tasked with interpreting the information it gives to us.
A
WTMD may tell us that metal is present on an individual, but the key to success is in the interrogation of that information.
theory applies to the use of the HHMD. Is the system reacting to the button on a pair of jeans? Or is it instead reacting to
a knife
concealed behind that button? That is where the attention to detail of the individual screener comes to the fore in resolving whatever has caused the system to alarm in the first place. Standards of hand search and the meticulous attention to detail required by the screener are central to finding any concealed prohibited items and thereby countering an element of the threat posed to aviation. If the information is not interrogated appropriately
then,
regardless of the technological capability of the equipment, the utility of the screening system is greatly impaired.
There is
then only the hope that the system may
Metal detction early 1970's style at London Heathr
ow 16 Register now for FREE instant access to ASI online by visiting
www.asi-mag.com June 2010 Aviationsecurityinternational The same
“
...the electromagnetic field produced is considered safe for all, including pregnant women...”
act as a deterrent to the would-be attacker / criminal - not a sound basis for countering the level of threat facing air travel. Just as the interpretation of and acting upon any information from the equipment is central to the effectiveness of the system, the correct usage of that equipment is equally important. If the HHMD is held too far from the body it may not react to any metal present, so both screeners and those responsible for their supervision must ensure that it is used correctly at all times. Used accurately, the HHMD allows the screener to
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