Case Studies

Today, she uses the knowledge and confidence gained through her studies to help manage a wide range of risks across the airline's engineering operations, from work at height to radiation and legionella management.

As one of seven Diploma-holders in her team, she is part of a group committed to helping British Airways engineers work safely every day. In this interview, she reflects on her learning journey, the importance of effective health and safety management in aviation, and what it means to her to graduate alongside her colleagues.

What role do you play at British Airways, and how does health and safety feature in your work?

I’m part of a small Health, Safety & Environment team in British Airways Engineering & Maintenance. We provide support and advice to the Engineering business to ensure all maintenance activities are carried out safely and that our engineers go home safe each day. We ensure our policies are followed and that we work in compliance with health and safety regulations.

What inspired you to study for the NEBOSH Diploma?

My previous manager, Yvonne, had completed her Diploma a few years before. She always told me I should and could do it, but I was too scared for a long time. She gave me the confidence and encouragement I needed to start.

How has what you've learned changed the way you approach health and safety?

It has given me more confidence to find solutions to HSE issues, even when they turn out to be complex. With the rest of the team now having their Diplomas, we often have some great ideas and debates about how to approach problems and introduce effective controls.

Can you share an example of how you've applied your Diploma learning in the workplace?

Aircraft maintenance can be a dangerous industry, so many of the hazards we manage were covered in the Diploma. Since finishing my studies, I have worked with our Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) team to learn more about radiation. I have also been looking closely at our anodising line, ensuring any legionella risk is assessed and managed carefully. Working at height is a huge part of the work the engineers do here, so working

through tasks to create safe systems of work has been key to maintaining a safe operation. Improving COSHH management and training is the next project I will be working on.

Why is effective health and safety management particularly important in the aviation industry?

The aviation industry is a fast-paced and operationally pressured environment. The tasks engineers carry out can be complex and hazardous, whether they are working at height, working in confined spaces or dealing with dangerous chemicals and dusts. It’s therefore imperative to instil a positive safety culture and support managers and engineers to make safe decisions and create safe systems of work.

You were one of four people from British Airways celebrating achieving a NEBOSH Diploma at our 2026 Graduation. What does this say about the organisation's commitment to health and safety?

It’s a really positive message and shows that we, as a team, are supported and encouraged to develop and be the best we can be in supporting the business. There are actually seven of us in our team, and all of us now have our Diplomas. Four of us attended the NEBOSH Graduation in 2026, and a fifth couldn’t make it.

We deal with many complicated scenarios involving risks that often don’t have a simple solution, so the more people who are trained and have experience of high-risk environments, the better we can advise the business and improve safety in our workplace.

How does it feel to be attending NEBOSH Graduation alongside your colleagues?

It’s great to be able to attend our NEBOSH Graduation together. We’ve worked really hard and supported each other throughout, so to take a moment to actually celebrate feels great.

What does graduating mean to you personally?

It’s important to me because I struggled at school and have always been apprehensive about going back into any kind of education. This way of learning and doing exams felt like a much better fit for me, and having not gone to university, it was a big deal to take on something academic after all these years. I feel proud of myself for sticking with it, and passing with a distinction was a bonus!