INSURANCE\\\ Insurance


Lifting the lid on training


An oft over-looked, or certainly under-resourced function of freight transport operations, is personnel training. TT Club’s Peregrine Storrs-Fox puts great store on this aspect of efficient and risk-free business strategy.


Most individuals and organisations know that training


is an important


requirement in order to develop skills. However, appropriate, needs-based training is more diffi cult to defi ne and control. While training will widely


be accepted as ‘good’, its benefi t needs to be evaluated and considered in relation to current skills gaps and future requirements as the world around us changes. Training does not stand


alone, there needs to be eff ective feedback to ensure that it has been worthwhile and contributes to the development of the recipient and the organisation. A poor reason for training is simple compliance with law or regulation. Above all, training should be part of the journey towards and assessment of ‘competence’. One of the fi rst steps when embarking on any training


programme is to consider whether training is necessary in the fi rst place. The UK’s Health & Safety


Executive recommends that managers consider: the specifi c job or task; the person(s) carrying it out and their existing capabilities; the processes and the equipment required; whether contractors will be engaged, if so how they will need to be trained or assessed; and how that training will be delivered and by whom. Prudent organisations will


develop a Training Needs Analysis by examining their current skills base, any impending changes and, of course, what the law demands. This clearly applies not only to new staff , but also any change in role, process, plant/ equipment or technologies in order to ensure that all staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their


The FTA Column Air cargo is fl ying high


The biennial Boeing World Air Cargo Forecast was released this autumn and the message is clear: the air cargo industry has recovered from the global economic downturn and is set to soar. Alex Veitch, FTA’s head of global policy, pulls out some of the key fi ndings.


With growing world trade, increasing industrial production and synchronised global economic expansion, air cargo traffi c grew an impressive 10% in 2017, with intra-Europe the highest growth market. Freighters are forecast to carry


more than half global air cargo over the next two decades. To meet this demand, it is predicted the world freighter fl eet will grow by more than 70% to 3,260 aircraſt . Although air cargo accounts for less than 1% of global trade by tonnage, it transports $6 trillion worth of goods every year, signalling the high value and specialist nature of these items. As such, dedicated freighters – off ering speed, reliability, space and security – are ideally placed


to transport these goods, rather than utilising restricted passenger aircraſt lower holds. The report highlights an


interesting emerging air cargo trend:


e-commerce. Modern


buying and selling patterns are facilitated by the fast movement of goods and air travel, which combines speed, fl exibility and availability, off ers just this. China dominates the e-commerce market, with sales growing almost 40% in the last fi ve years; this has contributed to the soaring demand for e-commerce air cargo. The section on maritime


container freight is particularly illuminating. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is set to introduce a global cap on the level of ships’ sulphur emissions in


duties safely, without risk to themselves or others aff ected by them. Training has several levels: •Basic or induction – to impart


enough knowledge to carry out a task without introducing risk. For example, dock health and safety induction courses or a basic fork-liſt driver course; •Intermediate – more knowledge, providing


advanced particularly


understanding of why a task is carried out in a certain way and how to deal with the situation when things go wrong or circumstances change; • Advanced – higher level of


skills required to deal with a whole range of situations and complex processes; • Refresher – carried out at


suitable intervals to maintain imparted knowledge or accommodating


changing


circumstances. This may also be in response to an incident or


2020, and this could see dramatic cost increases. The disruption and inconvenience caused by this cap could shiſt additional freight to air. But maritime isn’t the only sector facing fuel struggles; the ongoing instability in air fuel costs continue to pose a threat to business stability and profi tability. Unfortunately, the customers


– shippers – oſt en bear the brunt as costs are passed onto them via surcharges. This price uncertainty can dampen demand and discourage shippers from using air transport. FTA, the only business group representing all of logistics, advises the air cargo industry to ensure the service benefi ts of air transportation justify the price premium charged, to continue to compete eff ectively with container ships. While there are still some such as rising


potential risks,


trade tensions, it is promising to see an optimistic forecast. FTA hopes to see all sides of the air cargo industry working together continue to grow this crucial part of the logistics chain, and work in partnership with their customers to improve effi ciency.


Issue 8 2018 - Freight Business Journal


event that indicates knowledge or work practice has become impaired and needs remedial action; • Responsive training –


specifi cally dealing with identifi ed trends or incident analysis. Naturally, training can take


various forms and formality – it might be ‘on the job’, oſt en reliant on ‘buddying’ by experienced staff , or embedded in written instructions/online information, computer-based courses or classroom/workshop events (whether on or off site). However the training is


delivered factors to consider include: • People learn at diff erent rates


and with diff ering learning styles. Language and literacy need to be taken into account. • Records need to be kept of


all training delivered (including short bursts of training such as ‘tool-box talks’). • Training methods and


outcomes should be monitored to ensure they remain relevant to the organisation and its needs. Feedback is vital, including identifying the eff ectiveness and competence of those carrying out the training. • Consult with workers or their


representatives before initiating formal training programmes in


order to ensure engagement and improve the scope. A key consideration for many


organisations is who will deliver training. Experienced staff are clearly valuable, but need to be equipped with training techniques and monitored to ensure that they are not passing


on their own bad


habits. Outsourcing training may be effective, so long as there is solid understanding of your organisation and its requirements, as well as competence to carry out the specific function. Guidance on how and where


to source training is generally available on government websites, local colleges or trade associations (such as, in the UK, BIFA or Port Skills & Safety). The fact that training has been carried out effectively may not mean the individual can be regarded as competent. Getting the best out of people and developing them fully is a ‘win-win’ for organisations and staff alike. Training alone cannot deliver that and working on a full programme of ‘competency’ assessment is ideal. The ILO (International Labour


Organization) in its Guidelines on Training in the Port Sector,


27


defines ‘competence’ as ‘knowledge skills and attitudes that a person needs and uses in an occupation/job that is both observable and measurable’. Using ‘competency matrices’


for each task, individuals can be benchmarked to assess whether they carry out their function at the desired level. Such matrices are comprised of statements about the task in order to describe what elements of performance should be judged – whether by members of


the training


team or supervisors. It can be desirable (for both the company and the individual) for proven competences to be recognised by way of a certificate or formal qualification by a government qualification body, including those ‘hosted’


by trade


associations, such as Port Skills & Safety. Training programmes


alone are insufficient in this ever-changing world and have limited effectiveness. Coupled with a comprehensive assessment process – or ‘Competency Based Training’ – organisations can be equipped with the tools to develop their staff fully and integrate into the company’s future and how it tackles change.


Americans step into the breach to help hurricane victims


Many American Airlines Cargo employees found ways to help their local communities during the various natural disasters that have hit the US recently. Aſt er


Hurricane Michael


wreaked havoc in and around Florida in early October, the carrier’s Miami team partnered with the American Red Cross to compile packages for those who lost everything in the storms. The group put


together more than


5,000 boxes of hygiene kits for families in the area.


Volunteers


Volunteers come to Indonesia’s aid from


Deutsche


Post DHL’s Disaster Response Team (DRT) worked tirelessly to support earthquake relief eff orts in Sulawesi, Indonesia in late September and October. The 26 volunteers worked tirelessly for week-long rotations to ensure a smooth fl ow of aid for the quake survivors. They were based at Mutiara


airport in Palu, ground zero of the earthquake and tsunami on 28 September and at the Sultan Aji


Muhammad Sulaiman


Airport in Balikpapan, which served as a staging airport for incoming aid. Meanwhile, Air Charter


Service said it had fl own in more than 600 tonnes of relief goods on 20 charter fl ights to


Indonesia since 28 September. Group cargo director Dan


Morgan-Evans said ACS had been fl ying in aid such as shelter kits and water purifying tablets from the Middle East and Europe on aircraſt including Antonov AN-12s, Boeing B757s and B777s. Many supplies have been stockpiled in Malaysia to speed up the operation.


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