SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why Aviation KPIs Lagging and Leading Indicators Are Important

Lagging and leading indicators for aviation safety management systems (SMS) key performance indicators (KPIs) are often confused or misunderstood.

Even various online sources have conflicting, vague, or incomplete explanations of the difference between lagging and leading indicators.

Obviously, understanding how to select aviation SMS KPIs is extremely important, and it’s a topic that often generates much interest from all levels of the aviation safety industry.

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.

Benefits of Showing Employees That Your SMS Is Effective

Showing employees that your SMS is effective is simply building your case for the SMS. That being said, there are several prerequisites for being able to show employees that your SMS is effective:

• Your SMS has actually demonstrated safety improvement;
• Employees are actually reporting issues;

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.

Most safety managers are not content to merely "check the box."

Aviation SMS New Employee Integration Time

The oil industry, which in terms of safety standards is rather similar to the aviation industry, provides a great example with its statistic that over 50% of all accidents are caused by employees with less than 1 year of experience in their current work environment.

When airlines, airports, and other aviation service providers hire new employees, those employees pose a significant risk so long as they are unfamiliar with their new:

Aviation Safety Leadership Is NOT Safety Management

Aviation safety managers and departments heads are tasked with delivering aviation safety management AND safety leadership capabilities.

“Leadership” and “management” are often used interchangeably both in speech and action, but contrary to common practice they are NOT the same thing.

A vanilla definition of aviation safety management is that it is the oversight of how risk is bureaucratically processed in safety management systems (SMS).