SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

How to Define Acceptable Level of Safety (ALoS) in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Sep 13, 2023 6:10:00 AM

What Is an Acceptable Level of Safety (ALoS)

The objective of aviation safety management systems (SMS) is to

  1. Proactively manage safety,
  2. Identify and report potential safety hazards,
  3. Determine risk to operational safety; and
  4. Implement risk controls to mitigate identified risk.
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Topics: Quality-Safety Management

4 Pillars | What Is Hazard Identification in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Sep 6, 2023 6:05:00 AM

Definition of Hazard Identification

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:

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Audit Checklist: 10 Things to Prepare for Aviation SMS Audits

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 30, 2023 6:05:00 AM

Things to Prepare for Aviation SMS Audits

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.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance, Quality-Safety Management

43 Benefits of Aviation Safety Management Systems (Proven)

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 23, 2023 6:11:00 AM

Safety Benefits of Aviation Safety Management Systems

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.

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Topics: Aviation SMS Implementation

5 Safety Management Systems Questions You Need Answers to

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 16, 2023 6:00:00 AM

Questions Come First in Safety Management

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.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

5 Components of Safety Culture in Aviation SMS - With Examples and Resources

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 9, 2023 6:03:00 AM

What Is Safety Culture in Aviation SMS

There are many possible definitions of safety culture in aviation safety management systems (SMS). Generic definitions focus on:

  • Attitudes;
  • Behaviors; and
  • Values.

While these points certainly are a core part of safety culture, they are also unhelpfully vague.

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Topics: Quality-Safety Management

Understanding Mandatory and Voluntary Safety Reporting in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Aug 2, 2023 5:52:00 AM

What Are Mandatory and Voluntary Safety Reporting Policies

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.

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Topics: Safety Culture

15 Most Important Keywords in Safety Management Systems (SMS)

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jul 26, 2023 6:06:00 PM

Importance of Keywords in Aviation SMS

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.

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Topics: Risk Management Training

What Is a Gap Analysis in Aviation SMS?

Posted by Christopher Howell on Jul 19, 2023 6:05:00 AM

What Is a Gap Analysis Used For

Both new and experienced aviation safety professionals sometimes have to ask themselves, what is a gap analysis, and why am I using it?

The first thing anyone needs to understand about a gap analysis is that it is a process used by both new aviation safety management systems (SMS) and maturing SMS. This process is used by aviation service providers to determine:

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

How to Define Your Risk Matrix in Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Jul 12, 2023 5:41:00 AM

What Is Risk Assessment in SMS

Risk Assessments in aviation safety management systems (SMS) are how you qualify, quantify, and rank risk exposure for:

  • Reported safety issues;
  • Audit findings and concerns; and
  • Risk scenarios (consequences) associated with identified hazards.

Risk assessments are absolutely central to decision-making in SMS, as all actions performed on the safety issue depend on the initial and subsequent risk assessments.

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Topics: 3-Safety Assurance

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