Security scanners

Security scanners, which can reveal items hidden under clothing, have been approved for use in UK airports and many other countries. Before they were introduced, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirmed their safety.

For more information about the safety of the security scanners, please refer to the CAA website here.

The scanner uses harmless millimetre-waves (common radio-frequency signals) which reflect off objects at extremely low power levels. These signals pass through clothing but do not penetrate the body. The system then creates a 3-D silhouette (a stick like figure) of a passenger’s body, rather than an actual image so it is impossible to identify anybody. The scan takes less than 10 seconds.

Yes. All scanners have been assessed by Government health and safety regulators. The system does not use ionizing radiation and is 10,000 times less powerful than other commercial radio frequency devices, far below the allowed levels in the UK and does not constitute any unacceptable risk to health.

Those selected will be asked to take up a particular stance in the scanner, there is no physical contact and passengers will not feel anything. Security staff will provide guidance throughout the process. The whole process only takes a few seconds. If the scanner detects any potentially dangerous items on a person, then security staff will need to carry out further searches.

The system creates a 3-D silhouette (a stick like figure) of the passenger’s body, rather than an actual image so it is impossible to identify anybody. It will identify any items on the figure that require further investigation. Our vetted and trained security staff may view the images. Passengers may also see their image. The images are deleted immediately after analysis and cannot be recovered.

A passenger can request that their image is viewed by a security officer of the same gender. The Airport must meet this request as quickly as possible.

Passengers can choose an alternative screening method. The alternative screening method will be at least a private search (an enhanced hand search in private which may involve loosening and/or removal of some clothes).

Children may be selected to go through the security scanner. It is a necessary measure in enhancing security for all passengers. To do otherwise would undermine the effect of these measures.

Passengers declining the security scanner will be searched by other methods. Selection is never based on personal characteristics.

The security scanner is safe for pregnant passengers. The dose received from the scanner is a smaller fraction of that received every day from natural sources and is far lower than the levels allowed by law for all types of people, including expectant mothers.

Passengers who are fitted with external and internal medical devices, and prosthetic devices are encouraged to inform the Security Officer. If the Security Officer assesses that a passenger wearing or fitted with a medical device is not suitable for screening by the security scanner, then an alternative search process will be used to suit the circumstances the passenger has declared.

The screener may ask to see the medical device to complete the screening process. For such passengers, an airport may, depending on its local policies, offer for, or require, this screening to be carried out in a private area (not on the lane), so that a sufficient search can be completed whilst protecting the dignity of the passenger. Any passenger who elects to opt out of a security scanner search for non-medical reasons is required to have an ‘enhanced search in private’. It will likely add additional time to your journey and will involve a more in-depth hand search in a private search area.

If a passenger refuses to be screened in accordance with DfT requirements and the instructions of the Security Officer, they will not be permitted access to the restricted part of the airport beyond security and will not be able to board a flight.