SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Why Is Safety Culture So Important?

In many of today's articles about aviation safety management systems, there is something about safety culture. Why? Safety culture ties into every part of your SMS, feeding it as your SMS nurtures your safety culture in return.

It’s a symbiotic relationship, like honeybees and flowers. Each one needs the other to grow and thrive. When your safety culture thrives, your SMS is easier to build and maintain.

What Is Safety Culture?

Safety culture is a set of values that a company has in relation to safety and is one of the main characteristics that distinguish one company from other companies.

What Is the Iceberg of Ignorance

The Iceberg of Ignorance was first developed in 1989 by a consultant named Sidney Yoshida. The Iceberg of Ignorance is a model that addressed concerns about safety awareness in large organizations. This model contends that of all problems:

• Only 4% of problems are known to upper managers;
• Only 9% of problems are known to middle managers;
• 74% of problems are known to supervisors; and
• 100% of problems are known to staff and front-line employees.

How Risk Management Depends on Managers and Employees

As the former Commander of the International Space Station, it is not surprising that in interviews, Chris Hadfield often stresses the importance of effective risk management. Whether for career or pleasure, every aviator experiences a considerable level of risk in their operational environment.

If the Shoe Fits, Wear It - Which Cronies Do You See?

This is a delicate topic, yet must be approached. After reading this article, if you have any solutions or even part solutions that I'm unable to address, please make a comment. Your help will be appreciated. I know of at least five safety managers who need some advice on this topic.

In most countries, aviation safety officers don't have a sense of entitlement.

Multiculturalism in Aviation

In the old days of national airline carriers the crews almost invariably shared the same nationality. Indeed, a common national identity of the workforce was a trademark of these carriers.

Now, with the liberalization of air transport occurring in many parts of the world, workforces have become increasingly multicultural. Examples of this trend can be seen around the world.

A multicultural workforce has several benefits. For example, you can cater to your passengers in their own native language. Also, problem solving is improved by inviting different cultural perspectives; however, multiculturalism can lead to misunderstandings.

How can operators engineer an organizational set-up so that national culture differences do not lead to ‘fatal’ misunderstandings?

What Is Safety Communication in Aviation SMS

Safety communication in aviation SMS is simply another way of sharing data.

Safety communication IS data sharing. This data sharing happens in several ways:

What Is Transparency in Aviation SMS

Transparency in aviation safety management is concerned with what types information various employee roles have in your company. By “types of information” we are mostly talking about safety concerns that are discovered through hazard reports, audits, etc.

What Is Risk Tolerance

Risk tolerance is simply how much risk you are willing to accept in a given activity, task, situation, etc.

High risk tolerance is not good.

Low risk tolerance is good, as it means that people will only allow a limited amount of risky behavior. No more risk should be tolerated than necessary for completing a task.

Defining Good Safety Culture in Aviation SMS

Safety culture will be the last thing to develop in your SMS.

Once you fully implement your SMS design (Phase 3 of SMS implementation), you will need to monitor your SMS to ensure it is functioning as designed. Aviation safety programs with good safety cultures usually operate as designed.