SMS Pro Aviation Safety Software Blog 4 Airlines & Airports

Importance for Visualizing Management's Risk Management Performance

Aviation safety charts gather and present aviation safety management system (SMS) information to stakeholders, who can then use this information to make informed, fact-based decisions. Safety charts can also influence safety culture, either for the better, or for the worst.

We started creating performance monitoring dashboards for managers approximately ten years ago. By far, the most talked about safety chart in the SMS database is the on-time task performance chart. When all employees and management have transparent visibility into the aviation SMS, management is held to a higher level of accountability.

Global Problem of Safety Reporting Performance

Employee involvement in aviation safety management systems (SMS) is a major struggle for countless organizations.

The unfortunate fact – and this is something we hear regularly – is that finding good safety incentives and accountability for employees' safety performance in aviation SMS implementations is tough.

One of the primary problems here is the “so what” factor.

Why Mandatory vs. Voluntary Safety Reporting Chart Is Important

We generally think of aviation safety management system (SMS) charts as being visual representations of various pieces of safety data. This safety data commonly comes from performance-based data or classification-type data.

Performance based data may include:

• How many safety reports submitted within past month?
• Percentage of safety reports closed on time;

What Are Safety Benefits of SMS Software

The safety benefits of SMS software are not the primary reason a company initially decides to adopt the special, built-to-purpose software. If this were true, these companies would have acquired advanced SMS database solutions long before aviation safety management systems (SMS) became a regulatory requirement.

The reason aviation companies acquire SMS software is because their spreadsheets and in-house systems are inadequate to manage all the expected SMS documentation requirements imposed by their regulatory authorities.

Oversight Agencies Need to Support Risk Management Software

Something we hear about all time is the general lack of support from regulatory oversight agencies during inspections and audits. This lack of support that safety managers complain about regards the usage of risk management software in audits that aviation service providers use daily to manage their required safety management systems (SMS).

I don't mean to imply that agencies like the FAA, Transport Canada, or EASA are against operators using risk management software by any means,

Aviation SMS Structure Is the Backbone of a Safety Program

The management of aviation safety is a shared responsibility among all levels (i.e., stakeholders) of an organization.

Top management has to set the basis for establishing

• safety culture,
• safety policy,
• protections to employees, and
• the structure for controlling risk.

SMS Trend Developing Aimed at Smaller Operations

Some countries (Australia and soon Canada) now require even the smaller aviation service providers to participate in safety management system (SMS) activities. This creates multiple challenges for these non-complex operators.

For starters, there is high resistance to change in the cultures of these non-complex operations, most of which never experienced severe losses, such as fatalities or complete loss of aircraft. By their very nature, when a smaller operation suffers a severe accident or incident, it typically obliterates the service provider's business.

No Comparison to Pushing Paper by Hand

Most of us grew up using good old fashioned pen and paper for just about everything. In fact, for most things, I still prefer it over using my phone or computer.

It’s quick, it’s natural, it’s something we can touch and feel.

But frankly, comparing pen and paper methods to software for managing documentation requirements of formal aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) is the difference between driving a trusted old pickup and a Formula 1 racing car.

Cloud-Based Aviation SMS May Make Sound Business Sense

Have you been considering the risks of moving your aviation safety management system (SMS) up to the cloud? In the past ten years, many aviation service providers have been moving their SMS data to the cloud for various reasons, but most make sound economic and business sense.

In this article, you will:

• Learn the benefits of moving your SMS' data management capabilities to the cloud; and

Vendors as Part of Aviation SMS Initiatives

Aviation safety managers, especially at larger airlines and airports have considerable work to perform, including:

• Learning aviation safety management system (SMS) requirements;
• Determining which SMS elements already exist in the organization;
• Documenting a plan to implement missing SMS elements; and
• Bringing managers and employees into alignment for SMS compliance.