SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Tyler Britton

350,000 words and counting on safety risk management concepts, guidance, tools, and best practices.

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Safety Chart: Stay on Top of Aviation Safety Promotion With SMS Newsletters

Posted by Tyler Britton on May 6, 2021 6:00:00 AM

See Your Aviation Safety Promotion Timeline

Aviation safety promotion is all about creating interest and mindfulness about safety behavior. And repeating without end...

More broadly, safety promotion is a method of shifting stakeholders' focus of their aviation safety management system (SMS) resources and processes towards a safety mindset.

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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion

How to Conduct Root Cause Analysis in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 29, 2021 6:02:00 AM

Purpose of Root Cause Analysis

Aviation safety managers usually have different opinions about exactly what root cause analysis is.

Root cause analysis activities for one safety manager may not align with the risk management processes practiced by another. This is because, in aviation safety management systems (SMS), there is no standard definition for what root cause analysis is.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

5 Most Important Ways to Integrate Aviation SMS and QMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 22, 2021 5:58:00 AM

Why Integrate Aviation SMS and QMS

Historically, quality management systems and traditional safety programs have been managed separately. With the advent of modern safety management systems (SMS), there is an opportunity to develop synergies between the two systems. However, the majority of safety professionals at smaller companies remain focused on simple SMS compliance and may miss out on this unexpected boon, which has been disguised as a regulatory mandate.

Indeed, many organizations still manage their organizations' safety and quality initiatives with separate systems for quality operations and safety operations.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

4 Things You Must Understand About Leading Indicators in Aviation Safety Management

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 13, 2021 6:14:00 AM

What Are Leading Indicators in Aviation Safety Management?

Mark my words: before long leading indicators in aviation safety management will be ubiquitous in nearly every aviation safety management system (SMS). I say this for several compelling reasons:

  • Leading indicators maximize your ability to tap into existing aviation safety performance data;
  • They give unparalleled access to information;
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

8 Aviation Leading Indicators That Successful SMS Measure

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 8, 2021 6:23:00 AM

Why Successful SMS Live by Aviation Leading Indicators

Aviation leading indicators are aviation safety data put to best use. They are designed to identify precursors to good/bad safety performance and uncover what goes into the program that dictates success or failure.

Successful aviation safety management systems (SMS) are primarily concerned with stopping the manifestation of hazards before they happen, which is why they depend so much on leading indicators.

Leading indicators in aviation become useful to safety programs when:

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

What Is an Aviation Safety Database for SMS Implementations?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 6, 2021 5:55:00 AM

Aviation Safety Database Saves Considerable Resources

An aviation safety database is not simply an improvement over spreadsheets. The database completely overhauls the way you interact with safety information in an aviation safety management system (SMS). An SMS database is a proper technology to manage an aviation SMS for operators with:

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

How to Do Bowtie Analysis in Aviation SMS – 5 Step Walkthrough

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 1, 2021 5:58:00 AM

Purpose of Bowtie Analysis in Aviation SMS

Bowtie analysis is one of the best aviation risk management tools to communicate risk and demonstrate commitment to safety.

Although not universally shared, I've seen that about 10% of smaller operators in the 100 to 500 employee range believe that bowtie is the best way to communicate operational risk and satisfy aviation safety management system (SMS) auditors. These "bowtie adherents" are usually providing services to the oil and gas industry.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

QMS Programs vs Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS)

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 30, 2021 6:00:00 AM

Goals of an Aviation SMS

We know that aviation safety management is a system of safety management activities.

Policies, processes, and procedures are created to systematically approach

  • hazard identification,
  • risk monitoring, and
  • prevention of accidents and serious incidents.
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Topics: 1-Safety Policy

What Is Aviation Safety Manager Burnout?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 20, 2021 6:00:00 AM

Burnout: The Career Plague

Burnout is especially common in the aviation safety industry. I’ve seen it happen to young and older safety managers. I’ve seen it happen to safety managers who were early and late in their safety careers.

Burnout is not picky about whom it possesses, meaning that the burnout scope of victims naturally exceeds aviation safety professionals.

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Aviation SMS Surveys - Most Neglected Safety Promotion Tool

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 13, 2021 6:00:00 AM

The Creative: Interesting Surveys and Promotion

Unfortunately, safety culture surveys are often not high on the priority list of aviation safety management system (SMS) implementations. And judging by surveys that I have seen, they are often written with the candor and creativity of a Driver’s Education Manual.

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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion

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