Irish Steve
It is true to say that the airlines, particularly the low cost carriers, have screwed down turnarounds costs and that handling standards have fallen. In my previous life I saw a marked increase in ground damage to aircraft, baggage and cargo mis-loading, loadsheet errors which would make you hair curl and generally a dumbing down of the ramp agents (red-caps) skills.
Much of this can be attributed to costs, but I am also of the opinion the centralised load control and computerisation of load sheets has meant that the skills and knowledge once essential to your average ramp agent have all but been lost, not in all cases of course, but in many. I am not against computerised loadsheets, far from it- in fact, if anything these prevented many errors and have increased safety. But with the likes of centralised load control etc. handling agents can save and feel they don't have to train their staff as perhaps they once would. Therein lays the danger IMHO. If an agent airside doesn't possess a sound knowledge base of the principles of aircraft loading and weight & balance = risk increases. You need only look back at some of the UK CAA FODCOMS to understand the concern within the industry over this issue, e.g.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/FOD200302.PDF
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/FOD200012.pdf
Ramp safety is of course an essential and there is simply no excuse for any employee to ignore their statutory obligations in this respect. Further, the supervision of handling agents by the airline is essential and required by JAROPS1 as we all know.
Training does cost, but it needn't be a high cost and is not optional. The standards required have all been defined by the likes of IATA and ICAO and some UK NVQ's. Further, as the handling company is the agent of the airline, there is no reason why an airline shouldn't define the standards they require- easier said than done however.