Introduction – The need for Aviation Safety Management Systems

It is accepted within our aviation community, that the vast majority of aviation accidents (at least 80%) are directly caused by human action or more precisely by human error. However it would be wrong for us to assume that this is simply a manifestation of personal carelessness or even incompetence, rather we should try to consider that the human error itself is actually the final element of a chain of events.

In fact a major element which hitherto was not given sufficient consideration is the role of the organisation in aircraft incidents and accidents. Often the root cause or contributing factors are embedded within the organisations process and procedures. Unfortunately with hindsight we are often able to understand the existence of numerous latent “exposures” (sometimes too late!).

If a major contributing factor to most unwelcome events then is to be found within the organisation, it should follow that it is the organisation itself that has the “power” to effect a control of the exposure by removing or reducing the exposure (mitigation). It is this concept of raising organisational awareness to the point that the risk can be measured which forms the fundament of the requirement for an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Safety Management System (SMS).

The existing “prescriptive” quality assurance process serves us well and ensure conformity with regulatory and organisation requirements. The downside is that it cannot easily anticipate or speculate regarding shortfalls or exposures which may occur in the future. But a “performance” driven Safety Assurance system can in fact anticipate or perceive exposures and then take the best action.

A Safety Management System (SMS) provides the organisation with an opportunity to integrate throughout the business a process which identifies hazards, assesses or measures the associated risk and develops a recommendation for the appropriate mitigations. To be effective key elements include the need for a positive safety culture together with effective marketing and promotion of the safety objectives.

The game changer which provides the SMS with the potential to make a real difference is the objective for the SMS to be proactive – means that we are encouraged to find exposures before they cause harm to the individual or business.

The SMS should clearly define the safety policy of the organisation which should be promoted from the top down and should become a core value of the organisation.

The most effective SMS will become an integral part of the management system and will work within the framework of the organisation to support the exposure of risk across the business whether it is in terms of people (our human capital) the equipment which the business operates or the potential financial exposure in respect of poor decisions. Understanding risk provides for the opportunity to develop a risk reducing strategy or mitigation.

Sofema Aviation Services offers online and classroom based Safety Management System training courses for aviation organisations, airports and regulators. 
For more information please email us at office@sassofia.com or online@sassofia.com