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

Safety Chart: How to Maintain Monthly Aviation SMS Hazard Reporting Goals

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 24, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Why Hazard Reporting Matters

Hazard reporting in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is the backbone of any safety program’s performance.

Every aviation safety program depends upon hazard reports for:

  • mitigating operational risk;
  • settings goals;
  • determining Key Performance Indicators;
  • complying with SMS regulatory requirements; and
  • implementing relevant risk controls.
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Topics: Risk Management Software

9 Best Strategies for Aviation Safety Audit Preparation [Free Audit Checklists]

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 17, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Audit Performance Is 90% Aviation Safety Audit Preparation

Okay, I made up the “90%” figure, but aviation safety audit preparation undoubtedly plays a huge role in how you perform aviation SMS audits. Considering that jobs may depend on audit performance, passing them is extremely critical. But you already know this.

Nonetheless when aviation SMS auditors are coming – and the stress level rises – it’s not always easy to prioritize getting prepared.

So much of audit preparation is going depend simply on your ability to know how to prepare.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

Safety Chart: Safety Issues by Location - Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 10, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Why the Issues by Location Chart Is Important

In aviation safety management systems (SMS), locations are often underutilized and neglected detail when reporting or managing safety issues, because modern aviation safety databases can't trend this data effectively.

Furthermore, it’s simply easy to gloss over such details as – what difference does it make? In truth, adding such detail could make no difference to ongoing continuous improvement as risk controls are implemented that should be location agnostic.

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Topics: Risk Management Software

Aviation SMS Implementation: What’s in It for the Employee?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 3, 2022 6:00:00 AM

The Bane of Aviation SMS Implementations

Apathy kills aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Apathy in SMS is the most insidious kind of resistance because it incites behavior that is extremely hard in which to influence change.

Apathy may take many forms in your aviation SMS, such as:

  • Non-participation in the SMS;
  • Low safety reporting numbers;
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Independent Aviation SMS Consulting - Pros and Cons

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jul 27, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Weigh Aviation SMS Consulting Pros and Cons

Aviation SMS consulting is for professionals who choose to independently contract custom SMS solutions for clients.

SMS consultants have differing roles in their clients’ SMS, depending on the needs of each organization they partner with.

Consultants generally have many years of aviation SMS experience and are equipped with the network and knowledge to provide solutions to diverse needs.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

The 13th Aviation SMS Human Factor — Adopting Risk Attitude

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jul 20, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Risk Attitude Is the Informal 13th Human Factor

When analyzing the types of actions and behavior to address during implementing an aviation safety management system (SMS), you have to consider the risk management attitudes of:

  • individuals,
  • groups (e.g., departments),
  • managers, and
  • the organization as a whole.
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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion

Advanced Topics for Human Factors Aviation SMS Training

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jul 6, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Building on Basic Human Factors Training

Lack of preparedness is a serious concern for aviation safety.

Uninformed actions can quickly result in devastating safety and financial consequences.

Considering human action accounts for approximately 90% of incidents, preparedness in aviation safety is a matter of preparing humans to identify and understand their own actions.

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Topics: 4-Safety Promotion

Do You Really Know What’s Going On in Your Aviation SMS Program?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jun 28, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Too Complex for One Person

The long and short of is this: don’t fool yourself. You’re just one person. One component in the clock that makes your aviation safety management system (SMS) tick.

Don’t get me wrong, as an aviation safety manager, inspector, executive, etc. you may be central in keeping the word safety in your SMS program. The basic fact remains that the weight and complexity inherent in all SMS programs – even small programs – are quickly outstripping anyone’s ability to be in the know of everything.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

Aviation Risk Management 101

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jun 22, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Responsibility for Aviation Risk Management

Aviation risk management is the backbone and general goal of modern aviation safety management systems (SMS).

Developing the maturity of an aviation SMS program is tantamount to cultivating more sophisticated, accurate, and proactive risk management strategies.

Responsibility in aviation risk management is kind of a messy word. Historically and structurally, aviation SMS programs are depicted as being top-down.

The clean answer as far as "who has responsibility for risk management" is that management does.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

3 Things Proactive Aviation Safety Managers Do Every Day

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jun 15, 2022 6:00:00 AM

Proactive Aviation Safety Managers: Diverse Skills

There are many ways to describe what an aviation safety manager does. They are associated with phrases such as “plate spinners,” “wear many hats,” and “task jugglers.” For good reason too.

Aviation safety is a complex beast that requires diverse expertise to properly spearhead.

Among other things, safety managers are responsible for everything from:

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Topics: 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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