SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Importance of SMS Performance Monitoring Charts

Aviation safety charts gather and present aviation safety management system (SMS) information to stakeholders, who can then use this information to make informed, fact-based decisions. Well-designed safety charts can take a complex idea and make it easily understandable with a simple picture, table, chart or graph. In this case, the "report" behind the safety chart could easily be worth more than a thousand words.

A common challenge accountable executives and senior management have is monitoring the performance of their implemented SMS. Regular SMS performance monitoring is an important responsibility for every accountable executive, as they are responsible to address substandard safety performance whenever it is identified.

Management will therefore need to measure SMS performance in order to identify performance shortcomings.

Aviation Safety Chart Monitors Safety Goals and Objectives

Safety reporting metrics are among the best indicators to judge the performance of any aviation safety management system (SMS). This is such a very powerfully poignant statement. Let that sink in:

"Safety reporting metrics are among the best indicators to judge the performance of any aviation safety management system (SMS)."

When an inspector or an SMS consultant reviews your safety reporting numbers, they can draw some amazing inferences, including:

• How effective are SMS' safety promotion efforts?
• Is management participating& in the SMS?
• Is the safety culture improving or simply stagnating?
• Does upper management provide adequate oversight?
• What are the chances of this operator suffering from "The Accident?"

Hazard Reporting Is Only the Beginning of Risk Management

Reporting hazards, incidents or accidents grabs considerable attention in every aviation safety and risk management system. Without reported data, safety managers would be unable to continuously improve systems' processes, which is a requirement in modern aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Importance Monitoring Root Causes in Aviation SMS

Monitoring the performance of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is a common activity for safety managers and upper management alike. Furthermore, in every SMS, the accountable executive is responsible for directing actions to correct substandard safety performance whenever it is detected.

How is substandard safety performance detected in your organization?

How does management know which operational areas required additional risk mitigation measures?

Safety performance monitoring dashboards have become the most efficient manner for the accountable executive to regularly review organizational safety performance. Dashboard charts allow management to quickly review SMS performance and make operational adjustments as necessary by using real time data from the SMS database.

Importance of SMS Performance Monitoring Dashboards

Aviation safety charts gather and present aviation safety management systems (SMS) information to stakeholders. Stakeholders can then use this information to make decisions and possibly change behaviors.

Aviation Safety Software Prioritizes Safety

Most of us have experienced the following: sitting on the runway for over an hour wondering why the plane isn’t moving. The pilot has already apologized and given the “reason” for the delay: the daunting and nebulous “technical difficulties.”

Safety Reporting Essential to Aviation Risk Management

Timely reporting of hazards, incidents or accidents is seen as an essential activity of aviation safety and risk management. I can safely say that without reported hazards or safety issues, there will be:

• little operational improvement and a
• needless waste of resources.

Without an effective hazard/safety reporting culture, there is no way that any aviation service provider can demonstrate continuous improvement to their aviation safety management system (SMS).

Why This Aviation Safety Chart Is Important

Having "real time" safety charts saves aviation safety managers, executives, and employees a lot of work and keeps them informed of the latest hazard and risks affecting aviation-centric operations.

Having access to real-time safety charts allows management to monitor your SMS program at a glance, rather than having to navigate through your software or aviation safety database to find desired information. Over longer periods of time, this saved time and energy adds up to substantial sums, especially when you consider:

Knowing Who Is Involved in Your Aviation SMS

For every aviation safety management system (SMS), the accountable executive must ensure the SMS is properly implemented and performing in all areas of the organization. To achieve this end, safety management teams work to ensure that all personnel participate in the aviation SMS.

Wishes and reality are two different ideas. The reality is that most employees care about the SMS about as much as the company's traditional safety program.

You may remember the traditional safety program where

• management had no accountability; 
• employees were not afforded management protections against self-reporting; and
• little information passed between management regarding hazards and the efficacy of risk controls.

Yet unlike traditional safety programs, modern aviation SMS requires involvement from both management and employees. Did you catch this? All employees are expected to participate in the SMS, including management. This means:

Are Aviation SMS Software Programs Necessary?

Most aviation companies are profit driven. Aviation service providers attempt to provide safe services while providing a return on investment.

Many upper-level managers at smaller companies believe that safety managers don't need modern aviation safety management databases to manage aviation safety management systems (SMS) documentation requirements.

They may be right. Not every company should buy these SMS tools.