SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Christopher Howell

Manage global operations for aviation safety management systems (SMS) software that facilitates regulatory compliance, such as ICAO, FAA, Transport Canada, IS-BAO. Manage software engineering support efforts to local Alaska businesses. Assist in design, implementation, testing and documentation of complex, three-tier Windows applications relying heavily upon secure Web services technology.
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Recent Posts

Safety Chart: How to Find Bureaucratic Weakness in Business Processes - Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Apr 14, 2019 6:29:00 AM

Why Policies Involved In Issues Charts Matter for Your Aviation SMS

Operational #policies and procedures are the bureaucratic backbones to the success of every organization. The policies and procedures are the recipes or secret sauce that your company uses to deliver its product or service.

The purpose of every aviation safety management system (SMS), besides obviously improving levels of system safety, is to improve operational processes to a point where risk is mitigated as low as reasonably practical (ALARP).

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Topics: Risk Management Software

Setting Up an Aviation Safety Management System (SMS)

Posted by Christopher Howell on Apr 13, 2019 6:08:00 AM

SMS Implementation Guidance Still Needed

Over a dozen years (Nov 2006) have passed since ICAO issued its first mandate requiring member states to implement formal, structured aviation safety management systems (SMS).

By now, I would like to believe there is considerable guidance available for aviation service providers to implement their aviation SMS. However, approximately ten percent of the people I encounter in my work as a provider of aviation SMS software request guidance on setting up their aviation SMS.

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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

How to Tell Your Safety Culture Needs Help? - w/Aviation SMS Resources

Posted by Christopher Howell on Apr 8, 2019 6:11:00 AM

What Does Ideal Safety Culture Look Like in Aviation SMS

I have written before that one of the biggest problems with safety culture in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is the way most of us understand what safety culture is. The problem confounds itself when one considers the other related organizational performance topics, such as:

  • Just culture;
  • Learning culture;
  • Flexible culture;
  • Reporting culture; and
  • Informed culture.
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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

What Is Offline Hazard Reporting in Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Apr 1, 2019 6:01:00 AM

Everyone Understands Hazard Reporting

Every aviation safety professional has heard of a "hazard reporting system" in regards to aviation safety management systems (SMS). You may call your hazard reporting system by another name, such as the safety reporting system, but the purpose of the system remains the same: allow stakeholders to communicate safety information to safety teams which will use the information to manage risk.

The intent of hazard reporting goes beyond merely hazard identification in a fully implemented aviation SMS.

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Topics: Risk Management Software

Safety Chart: How to Discover Most Common Safety Issue in Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 23, 2019 7:00:00 AM

Why Linked Safety Issues Chart Is Important

Compliance in aviation safety management systems (SMS) will become universally consistent for the most part. Sure, there will be regions where regulatory oversight remains inconsistent, but we'll not consider those operators at this time.

During SMS implementation, each operator will need to adapt its operations to embrace changes in "how they do business" to meet SMS requirements. While SMS requirements are basically the same across the world, how they are implemented varies from operator to operator, depending mostly on size and operational complexity.

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Topics: Risk Management Software

Essential KPIs for Poor Hazard Reporting Cultures in Aviation SMS - With Free KPI Resources

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 19, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Key Performance Indicators Are Hottest Topic for SMS Programs

Without a doubt, key performance indicators (KPIs) have been on the minds of more aviation safety professionals for the past five years than any other single aviation safety topic. These KPIs cover a wide scope of business operations, such as:

  • Safety;
  • Quality;
  • Financial; and
  • Production activities.
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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

3 Tips to Enhance Aviation SMS Oversight

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 18, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Enhance SMS Oversight With Awareness

Knowing your aviation safety management system (SMS) is much like going on an extended backpacking trip.

To be safe, you need to be aware of:

  • Your environment
  • Your limitations;
  • Your risk management tools; and
  • Basically, have a plan for as many scenarios as you can think of.
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Safety Chart: How to Monitor Aviation SMS' Policies and Procedures?

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 17, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Why Associated Policies & Procedures Charts Matter

Policies and procedures are the central backbones of any aviation safety management system (SMS).

During aviation SMS audits, the adequacy of your policies and procedures will be looked at thoroughly. The safety of day-to-day behaviors will be greatly influenced by the quality of procedures being followed.

Tracking policies and procedures becomes critically important when these policies or procedures are risk controls that mitigate hazard-related consequences.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

When Employees Need More Hazard Identification Training - Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 13, 2019 6:19:00 AM

Misconceptions About Hazard Identification Training in SMS

Hazard Identification Training is not just for aviation safety officers.

Every area of an organization is exposed to different types of hazards, including, but not limited to:

  • Chemicals;
  • Electrical hazards;
  • Moving equipment; and
  • Untrained personnel.
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Topics: Risk Management Training

How to Write Non-Punitive Reporting Policy for Aviation SMS Programs - Free Templates

Posted by Christopher Howell on Mar 10, 2019 11:00:00 AM

Purpose of Non-Punitive Reporting Policies in Aviation SMS Programs

Dedicated, hard-working safety managers drive the setup of airline and airports' aviation safety management systems (SMS).

These safety managers are often left to decipher ambiguous requirements that are open to multiple interpretations. This comes into play, especially when upper management wants to "pencil-whip" an aviation SMS and merely check the boxes.

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Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation, 1-Safety Policy, 2-Safety Risk Management

Site content provided by Northwest Data Solutions is meant for informational purposes only. Opinions presented here are not provided by any civil aviation authority or standards body.

 

 

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