SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

SMS' Risk Management Seldom Reaches Full Potential

Risk management processes in aviation safety management systems (SMS) offer service providers structure for:

• Hazard identification;
• Hazard reporting;
• Risk quantification;

Changes Are Delicate

The systems, procedures, and regulations of aviation service providers are as multifaceted as just about any industry in the world. We can imagine it as a house of cards, where all of the various elements lean on each other to form what we know as the aviation industry.

The aviation industry has matured significantly in the past one hundred years since the first scheduled airline flight in 1914. Change is inevitable.

Poor Safety Reporting Cultures Invite Opportunities for Loss

Safety reports from aviation service providers' employees are important resources for the detection and prevention of potential safety hazards. One of the biggest challenges for aviation safety managers is to obtain safety reports from employees.

How Well Do You Understand Risk Management in Your SMS?

Aviation safety managers are tasked with managing all aspects of fully implemented aviation safety management systems (SMS). Naturally, most laypersons imagine safety managers reacting to accidents, incidents, and irregularities (issues or events) as their primary job function.

It is also probable that most managers outside the safety department

Common Safety Manager Challenges in Aviation SMS Programs

Safety managers face difficult challenges when complying with the ICAO aviation safety management systems (SMS) requirements. Most airlines and airports around the world understand that they have to implement these SMS requirements.

In many parts of the world, aviation safety managers commonly lack:

• Clear guidance to implement aviation SMS;
• Earnest participation by the entire organization; and

Proactive Risk Management a Dream for Many Aviation Safety Programs

Historically, aviation safety management strategies relied predominantly upon reactive risk management principles. For example, a critical part would break or an accident occurred, and managers would then attempt to determine the root cause and fix the issue.

What Are Best Practices for Risk Mitigation in Aviation Safety Management

The term risk mitigation, broadly speaking, means to try and prevent danger. You might think of it as “reducing exposure.” In general, there are four best practices employed in aviation SMS to mitigate risk, and they include:

What Are Risk Management Tools

Risk management tools in aviation SMS is simply a vague term that refers to resources that can help you manage risk. Often, the most beneficial resources tend to be simple, inexpensive, and helpful for both providing guidance and helping you organize your time.

Why Review Safety Risk Management Procedures?

Aviation safety managers come and go. At the most volatile organizations, we see safety managers change every six months to a year.

The reasons safety managers leave their positions include:

What Is Safety Performance Monitoring in Aviation SMS

Safety performance monitoring in aviation SMS is the primary way you will assess your safety program. This assessment happens in two different ways:

• Passively, such as in the case of high, system-level performance monitoring, such as trend identification; and