SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Examples of Good Hazard Reporting Forms in Aviation Safety

Posted by Tyler Britton on Feb 14, 2024 5:45:00 AM

How to Use Hazard Reporting Forms in SMS

You can’t really overestimate the value and usefulness of having high-quality hazard reporting forms.

Hazard reporting underpins your ability to acquire data, which is the basis of most of the continuous improvement changes you make to your aviation SMS.

Good hazard reporting forms provide:

  • Guidance for employees when reporting issues;
  • The framework for the types of data you want to gather;
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

How to Use Fishbone Diagrams in Aviation SMS - Walkthrough

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 31, 2024 5:45:00 AM

What Is a Fishbone Diagram?

Fishbone diagrams are perhaps the best risk management tool in aviation safety management systems (SMS) for gaining a comprehensive understanding of root causes of safety incidents.

A fishbone diagram derives its name from its fishlike appearance, with a head of several fins.

Each “fin” or “branch” of a fishbone diagram describes a different category of the situation, such as the categories “Human” or “Machine.” The head of the fishbone describes the risk.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Relationship Between a Hazard and Risk Occurrence in Safety Management

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jan 24, 2024 6:00:00 AM

Why Definitions of Hazard and Risk Matter

One of the most ubiquitous problems in aviation risk management is the misuse of commonly used words, in particular “hazard” and “risk.” Often, these two items are either:

  • Used interchangeably; or
  • Used much too broadly.

Accuracy is extremely important, as much of the bureaucracy in an aviation safety management system (SMS) builds upon basic definitions of safety elements.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Is Root Cause Analysis Proactive or Reactive?

Posted by Tyler Britton on Dec 27, 2023 10:29:00 AM

What Is Root Cause Analysis in Aviation SMS

If you put 10 safety managers in a room and asked them what root cause analysis was, they would have ten different answers.

Safety professionals all say that they perform root cause analysis at some time during their risk management process. In their minds, that’s probably true.

But root cause analysis for one safety manager would not necessarily be the root cause analysis for another manager.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

Understanding Management of Change in Aviation SMS

Posted by Christopher Howell on Nov 15, 2023 10:00:00 AM

What Is the Fuss about Management of Change?

Management of change in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is essential for managing operational or organizational change. Safety teams are typically involved in the management of change (MOC) exercises.

There is often confusion among new aviation safety managers when they are confronted with answering auditors' questions regarding MOC in their SMS. Best practices should always be reviewed when implementing your MOC workflow.

This article will briefly describe MOC and some preferred best practices.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

How to Identify Hazards and Assess Risks in Aviation SMS - with Free Resources

Posted by Christopher Howell on Oct 4, 2023 3:45:00 PM

Reactive and Proactive Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Aviation safety managers are tasked to ensure that the safety risks encountered at their operations are controlled to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).

Modern aviation safety risk management includes:

  • Hazard identification;
  • Hazard reporting;
  • Safety risk assessment; and
  • Implementing appropriate control and recovery measures.
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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

How to Use PAVE Checklist for Aviation Risk Management

Posted by Aviation Safety Student on Sep 20, 2023 5:00:00 AM

Understanding Proactive Hazard Analysis Process

The best way to recognize and mitigate immediate risks associated with aviation hazards is by using the PAVE checklist to analyze your current safety environment. PAVE is an excellent and expedient flight risk assessment tool (FRAT).

Each risk scenario can be grouped under a part of the PAVE checklist and can help with recognizing both the hazard and the need to react for a particular mission. The need to react may be one of your control measures identified during the proactive hazard analysis process.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk 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

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.

I can’t help but observe that aviation oversight agencies are constantly reinforcing the idea that there is one right answer to every situation.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

4 Pillars | What Is Risk Assessment in Aviation SMS

Posted by Tyler Britton on Jun 21, 2023 5:34:00 AM

What Is Risk Assessment in Aviation SMS

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.

The risk assessment process in aviation SMS starts with hazard identification and hazard reporting.

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Topics: 2-Safety Risk Management

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