SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

How to Use Key Performance Indicator Statistics?

Aviation safety management systems (SMS) revolve around the four ICAO pillars:

• Safety Policy;
• Risk Management;
• Safety Assurance; and
• Safety Promotion.

Why Monitor Aviation Safety Key Performance Indicators?

Safety assurance is the third ICAO pillar or component of aviation safety management systems (SMS). While practicing safety assurance, aviation service providers focus on safety performance monitoring and measurement. Monitoring activities include constantly reviewing the effectiveness of established safety risk controls.

Aviation Safety Reporting Database Required - Spreadsheets Equal Noncompliance

Empirical evidence and results from historical aviation accident investigations have shown that accidents are often preceded by safety-related incidents that reveal the presence of untreated hazards.

These "leading indicators" are commonly known to employees and are usually not formally reported in an aviation safety management system (SMS) database.

Leading indicators can take one of several forms:

• Accidents;
• Incidents; and

Aviation Safety Reporting Cultures Are Suffering

Most safety managers don't have the luxury of a healthy safety reporting culture in their aviation safety management system (SMS). Managers daily struggle to boost their monthly safety reporting metrics by up to 10% of employees, or one report per month for every 10 employees.

In 1976, NASA and the FAA recognized that a neutrally-operated confidential aviation hazard reporting system was required to engender trust among the aviation community.

Why Use Hazard Reporting Forms in Aviation Safety Programs?

Web-based hazard reporting templates or forms are key to the healthy performance of aviation safety management systems (SMS). Safety cultures depend on well-designed, user-friendly tools to report and manage reported safety concerns.

Without user-friendly safety reporting forms, there are only a few other options for safety managers to receive hazard and safety reports from

• employees,
• customers,
• suppliers and

Aviation Safety Managers Battling Organizational Silos

Effective aviation safety management systems (SMS) are implemented throughout an entire organization, and not merely for flight ops and airside operations.

Unfortunately, there is a major problem with many safety cultures in the aviation industry. Safety is managed at the department level or the division level of many inefficient aviation companies.

Power of Safety Goals on Shaping Aviation Safety Culture

Goal-setting is required for every ICAO-compliant aviation SMS program. The objective of goal setting is to

• Improve an operator's safety performance;
• Shape organizational safety culture, which
• Contributes to the bottom line.

There is not a defined method to guide safety managers in goal setting. Every safety manager has their preferred strategies for goal setting.

What Is Aviation Safety Software?

For over a dozen years, the majority of commercial aviation service providers around the world have been working towards compliance with ICAO's aviation safety management system (SMS) guidelines.

Transport Canada's SMS, as well as the Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority's SMS, are world leaders in their SMS implementations and enforcement of ICAO's SMS guidelines.

Safety Manager Dilemma: Deciding Which SMS Software Solution?

Modern aviation Safety Management System (SMS) database software provides

• safety reporting system;
• full-featured investigation tools;
• corrective and preventive action tracking;
• proactive hazard analysis;
• hazard register;

Understanding Vendor Safety Assessments in Aviation SMS

Vendors and contractors play a large role in today's aviation industry. It is common for aviation service providers to employ the services of a dozen or more vendors to help the operator fulfill their mission. There are some companies with literally hundreds of suppliers.

These vendors or suppliers may include:

• Aviation fuel providers;
• Ground handling services;
• Aircraft maintenance; and