Safe Passage Security Training Blog

The abundance and variety of items passing through a security checkpoint is overwhelming. Yet X-ray screeners are under immense pressure to examine all goods with speed and accuracy. This can be a difficult task considering throughput could be any combination of items imaginable.

In order for X-ray screeners to be successful on the job, they must constantly be exposed to different items under X-ray. Continuous practice is absolutely necessary to introduce new material to build upon a screener’s mental image library and keep the mind sharp.

A new year means another year of security training. The thought of recurrent training usually re-enters the minds of training managers and administrators at this time of year. Sometimes seen as an overwhelming process, the anticipation of rolling out another year of security training to personnel can be stressful.

It’s not always easy to coordinate but if you know the basics and have the right tools, it can be much easier than anticipated. And when the time comes, you’ll be able to handle a compliance audit like a pro. First, let’s get down to discussing the basics of recurrent security training.

What does it mean to have strong aviation security culture? A strong aviation security culture is one in which security is a top priority for all staff. It means that security can never rest at the back of our minds; it must constantly be at the forefront. It also means that security cannot be an afterthought; it must be approached with a proactive mindset.

If we lose sight of the importance of aviation security for a moment, we risk becoming vulnerable to the imminent dangers that constantly pressure our industry. Security is everybody’s business. So, what can you do to build a strong aviation security culture within your company?

As specific airports facing the large PEDs ban implement stricter security controls, governments have been lifting restrictions on a case by case basis. The personal electronic device (PED) ban prohibits passengers from carrying large electronics such as tablets, eReaders, and laptops aboard certain aircrafts flying direct from one airport to another.

The main concern centers on select airports with insufficient security measures in place to prevent a new type of threat from entering secure areas. Threat PEDs cleverly use everyday consumer electronics to conceal improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The resulting product is items such as laptop bombs. Airports worldwide must reevaluate current security controls and if necessary, implement additional measures to effectively intercept threat PEDs at the checkpoint.

Whether you’ve realized it or not, X-ray security screeners exist everywhere. That’s because X-ray screening technology is present in so many industries. We can find X-ray screeners at airports, cargo facilities, courthouses, schools, correctional facilities, immigration agencies, special events, and more.

These X-ray operators work endlessly to protect the surrounding people and infrastructures from harm by inspecting belongings, packages, and goods flowing through. They are trained to detect contraband, weapons, explosive devices, and drugs. Every day, X-ray security screeners put themselves in potentially dangerous situations and risk their lives to protect us.

For security screeners, being able to identify threats and prohibited items under X-ray is an important responsibility. To aid in this task, some may agree that learning how to identify everyday objects is almost equally important since most items inspected are innocent. Think about it. How beneficial would it be for security screeners to recognize and clear innocent everyday items quickly and efficiently? A rapid check over of the X-ray image is all it would take for a skilled screener. That’s why practice recognizing everyday objects alongside threats and prohibited articles is encouraged.

X-ray systems are deployed at security checkpoints in many different industries. X-ray operators use them to screen belongings, mail, and cargo. In real-time, these operators must be able to view an X-ray image and promptly make a decision about it - whether the scanned items are safe to proceed or if further inspection is required.

To get to that point, there are a few fundamental topics X-ray operators must have a solid understanding of first. Help operators become successful at X-ray screening on the job by ensuring your X-ray equipment training includes these critical topics.

Currently, X-ray systems are in their most stable form. They have become a proven security screening technology and are used in many markets around the world including transportation, critical infrastructure, and ports & borders.

Until X-ray equipment manufacturers invent a groundbreaking way to revolutionize the X-ray machine and push it to the next level, today’s X-ray systems will continue to dominate the security screening industry.

We are about two-thirds into 2015 and thought it would be interesting to follow-up on a blog post published at the beginning of this year: Aviation Industry Trends, Predictions & Advice for 2015. The original blog post written by our President, Michael Rooksby, listed some aviation industry trends, predictions, and advice for 2015 as given by experts in the industry.

This week, I sat down with Michael to discuss how the expert predictions were panning out so far and to get a better understanding of his own thoughts and insights into the aviation industry. Here’s the dialogue from our Question and Answer session:

Use of X-ray systems to scan belongings, mail, and cargo is widespread and can be particularly prominent depending on which industry you work in. To be proficient in detecting prohibited goods and dangerous items, constant practice over time is needed.

Organizations utilizing X-ray equipment know how crucial it is to provide screeners with this type of continuous training, especially as items and threats change constantly. That’s why they turn to X-ray simulators to supplement operator training. Let’s explore four fundamental characteristics of a quality X-ray simulator.