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.

Recent Posts

4 Essential Tips for Management of Change in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 4, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Why Change Management in Aviation SMS Is Important

Management of change in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is a complex undertaking because so often it involves performing in-depth risk analysis and risk assessments on current and hypothetical

  • hazards,
  • equipment;
  • processes and procedures;
  • environments, and
  • one-off situations.
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

What, Why, and How to Use Bowtie Analysis in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Apr 2, 2019 6:00:00 AM

What Is Bowtie Analysis in Aviation SMS

Bowtie analysis in aviation safety management systems (SMS) databases is a fairly new tool that is catching on with great success in aviation risk management programs. There are not many SMS databases that have the bowtie, but if you want a great risk management tool seamlessly incorporated into your hazard and risk register, then getting an SMS database with the bowtie is a great choice.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Are Aviation SMS Implementations Different for Airports, Airlines, MROs?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 31, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Airport SMS vs Airline SMS Implementations

Surprisingly, we receive questions about “airline SMS programs” and “airport SMS programs” all the time, as if they were two entirely different species of aviation SMS.

I get the feeling that the question of airport SMS vs airline SMS arises from misinterpreting what aviation safety management systems (SMS) are.

In three lines, aviation SMS implementations are:

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

4 Tips to Approach Hazard Identification in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 30, 2019 6:00:00 AM

How Do We Define Hazard Identification in Aviation SMS

Like the concept of safety culture, hazard identification in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is usually taken at face value: it’s just something that happens or doesn’t happen.

While the concept of hazard identification – literally just the awareness of hazards within a system – is very simple, understanding the process of hazard identification is significantly more complex and requires careful consideration.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Stuck on Lagging Indicators in Your Aviation Risk Management Program? Here’s Why.

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 29, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Number One Asset in Aviation Risk Management Programs

People.

Superior safety performance in any aviation risk management program is always the result of putting the needs of employees first, and then supporting them with quality policies and procedures, and great aviation safety management system (SMS) tools.

Great aviation safety policy can give rise to quality lagging indicator controls (reactive controls to the safety event) through analysis of issues. But leading safety indicators – that is to say, proactive indicators – will ever only be worth as much as the employees behind the risk controls.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

3 Ways You’re Not Using the Bowtie in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 28, 2019 6:00:00 AM

Let the Bowtie in Aviation SMS Make Your Job Easier

I love the Bowtie.

It’s logical, lightweight, and delivers a ton of pertinent information that no other tools in your aviation risk management toolbox can deliver.

I've seen very few aviation service providers with fewer than 100 employees use the bowtie in their aviation safety management systems (SMS). This does not mean that smaller operators will not benefit from conducting a bowtie analysis.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Aviation Safety Management Training Made Simple

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 27, 2019 6:15:00 AM

What Is Safety Management Training

Don’t confuse safety management training with “training for managers in a safety program.” They are not the same thing.

Safety management training is simply any safety training whose goal is to allow employees to better manage their own safety and the safety of others around them.

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Topics: Risk Management Training

4 Best Uses of Bowtie Method in SMS Risk Management – Do You Use Them?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 26, 2019 6:00:00 AM

What Is the Bowtie Method in Aviation SMS Risk Management?

The Bowtie in aviation risk management is a fairly new and trending, but extremely effective way of approaching risk and risk management in aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Long story short, the Bowtie was developed in order to gain a clearer, more comprehensive handle on every angle of risk in a situation, be it a hypothetical or real one.

In terms of risk management, the Bowtie has split into three areas:

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Best Practices for Managing Safety Issues in Aviation Safety Management

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 25, 2019 4:44:00 AM

What Actions You Should Take On Each Reported Safety Issue

Through the course of daily work in an aviation safety management system, you will discover safety issues – this is called “discovery.” When you make discoveries, such as through hazard reporting or SMS audits, you need to formally process them through your SMS Safety Assurance Process.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, 2-Safety Risk Management

Safety Chart: How to Track Your Aviation SMS Implementation

Posted by Tyler Britton on Mar 24, 2019 7:00:00 AM

Why This Aviation SMS Implementation Chart Is Important

As you probably already well know, implementing aviation safety management systems (SMS) is a big deal for most aviation service providers around the world – both in terms of accounting for all of an SMS' moving parts, as well as trying to get all of the moving parts moving in the direction of progress.

While it’s easy for aviation safety managers to start their SMS implementation ready and motivated, SMS implementations are marathons, not sprints.

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Topics: Risk Management Software

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