Welcome to Chinasafe

 

As a well-established organisation with a proven track record, our solutions are specifically developed to assist people who are involved in protecting high-risk environments; such as airports, aircraft, ports, cruise ships, law enforcement centres, military bases and government buildings.

Ethical and professional business approach

 

The Course Modules

 

1.0 Introduction

In order to set the scene this module provides the background and an overview of the course, the legal basis for personnel screening, and a screening officer’s duties and responsibilities at the checkpoint. It describes methods used by terrorists to disguise threat items among seemingly innocent personal items and bags to help security officers understand the importance of their task.

2.0 Identifying the Threat

Users are taught the four screening categories: nonthreats, possible threats, definite threats and dangerous goods, together with the kinds of items likely to be associated with each. They are instructed in the course of action to be taken in the event that a threat item or an item of dangerous goods is identified. The tutoring is followed by a series of interactive exercises to help the
users to recognise the non-threat, definite threat, possible threat and dangerous items; together with their corresponding x-ray images.

3.0 Screening People

The various methods for screening a person prior to them passing a checkpoint are addressed in this module. They
include:

• walk-through metal detector
• hand-held metal detector
• consent search

The correct practice in each area is covered in detail and supported with relevant video clips. Appropriate methods of dealing with atypical people, such as those with disabilities, carrying diplomatic bags, wearing religious clothing or authorised to carry firearms are reviewed. This module also details the appropriate actions to take in the event that an alarm cannot be resolved, a person refuses
some element of the screening procedure, becomes aggressive or flees from the checkpoint.

4.0 Hand-Carried Items

This module covers the important issue of operating x-ray equipment safely. It also covers the methods of screening bags and other items using x-ray screening equipment. A series of exercises to practice conveyor belt control, use of the zoom function and image enhancement tools.

The procedure for conducting a physical bag search is demonstrated and the importance of noting objects seemingly out of place or abnormally heavy is emphasized. In addition the use of trace detection is covered as a part of the search procedure for suspect bags. This includes the swabbing procedure and analysis of a swab using typical trace detection equipment. Possible scenarios are explored for reasons why an alarm may be triggered and the action to be taken should a security officer not be comfortable with the person’s explanation.

 

Cargo and vehicle x ray inspection

Inappropriately packed and undeclared dangerous goods have been the cause of major aviation incidents, such as the fire that broke out on ValuJet flight 592 causing it to crash into the Florida Everglades killing all on board. It is recognised that air cargo consignments are of interest to terrorists for the shipment of illicit goods to or the concealment of an explosive device intended to bring down the aircraft. Authorities are responding to the situation by requiring an increasing proportion of cargo to be passed through x-ray screening equipment.

 

It has become the responsibility of the carrier or its agent to provide adequate, on-going training of x-ray screener operators..

This course allows an x-ray operator to be exposed to a large number of x-ray images of cargo items many of which contain security threats such as improvised explosive devices
(IEDs). Real items of cargo are passed through the cargo x-ray screener and the images captured using SmartApproach’s technology. The resulting library of images is almost indiscernible from those produced by the x-ray machine including all strip options and other enhancements such as inverse, crystal clear and high power..

 

What constitutes a threat in the air cargo environment is can dictated by the content of the accompanying paperwork. A consignment of detonators accompanied by the appropriate dangerous goods declaration may be cleared by screeners while another similar consignment lacking the appropriate paperwork should be subjected to further investigation.

 

The trainee is presented with a sequence of x-ray images of cargo items plus a representation of the x-ray machine control panel. Pressing the various control keys on the panel using the mouse allows the various image enhancement functions to be activated exactly as they are on the x-ray equipment.

 

The trainee can also see a simplified version of the accompanying documents showing the air waybill and any dangerous goods declaration. The student has the choice to clear the item of cargo, reject it because of incorrect paperwork or reject it because of a threat item. The rejection process includes specifically identifying the item of concern and its location in the consignment.

 

At the end of a sequence of cargo of typically 20 – 30 cargo items (duration selected by trainer) there follows a session review with each item being revisited. The trainee’s decision to reject or clear the item is compared to the correct decision and reasons provided. An opportunity is provided to view any threat item and compare the x-ray image with a photograph.