Hazard identification in aviation SMS is the baseline performance needed for a successful safety program. It is the first element of the Safety Risk Management component of the 4 Pillars of aviation safety.
At face value, hazard identification is fairly simple: awareness and recognition of potential danger in the operational environment. In aviation safety management systems (SMS), hazard identification is complicated by the fact that:
Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management
There are many aviation audit checklists available online.
While these checklists offer many specific tasks you need to perform, few checklists offer a broad overview of things that airports, airlines, and other aviation service providers should do to augment audit performance.
The purpose of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is to continuously improve safety performance while also improving the business' operational processes.
The most obvious benefits of implementing an aviation safety management system (SMS) are the marked improvements in safety.
Just to give you an idea of exactly how successful aviation SMS implementations have been, the only statistic you need to know is that 20 years ago there were four times as many workplace accidents as last year.
It’s difficult to get data on total workplace incidents, but I am sure that the statistic for workplace incidents last year vs.
Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation
The unfortunate fact is that many managers in aviation safety management systems (SMS) don’t start asking serious questions until their SMS is either “stuck” or in trouble.
Questions and answers need to come at the beginning of SMS implementation. Your answers to fundamental questions about safety management will be a guideline through the entire process of your SMS' implementation.
Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management
There are many possible definitions of safety culture in aviation safety management systems (SMS). Generic definitions focus on:
While these points certainly are a core part of safety culture, they are also unhelpfully vague.
Topics: Quality-Safety Management
Mandatory and voluntary safety reporting policies are an extremely important part of providing guidance for safety reporting in aviation safety management systems (SMS). Yet, we rarely see these policies published and communicated in aviation SMS implementations.
Topics: Safety Culture
Keywords in Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) are the most important words that new or experienced aviation safety professionals need to know. Usage of the correct terminology in the aviation industry is important for stakeholders to understand particular contexts in which safety events may occur and also any nuances that may cloud definitions due to regional differences or the introduction of unfamiliar technology.
Topics: Risk Management Training
Operators implementing formal aviation safety management systems (SMS) need to develop, practice and maintain a documented process of risk analysis, risk assessment, and risk control to an acceptable level of safety (ALoS). We say that the process needs to be formal in the sense that risk assessments/analysis needs to be documented and communicated to employees based on their participatory role in the aviation SMS.
Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management
I have recently seen a great rise in the interest and emphasis placed on safety culture in aviation safety management systems (SMS).
Until the last number of years, safety culture has been treated like an appendage or “bonus” to having a performant, successful aviation SMS implementation. Now, however, I see safety culture starting to pop up all over the place.
By definition, aviation safety culture is described as reflecting the real commitment to safety, or how people act when no one is watching.
Topics: 3-Safety Assurance
Safety Risk Management receives by far the most attention of any aspect of aviation safety management systems (SMS). It is, as you might say, “where the action is,” in terms of managing risk and the most focused-upon element in an aviation SMS.
Despite the fact that other aspects of aviation risk management processes provide equally valuable assistance in developing an aviation SMS, SRM deals most directly with risk exposure.
Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management
These two on-demand videos offer:
