Aviation Safety: Programs, Elements, and Procedures
Topic 11: Aviation Safety Programs
Topic 11 Aviation Safety Programs
Purposes of Aviation Safety Programs
- To satisfy national government requirements for safety programs
- To create a structured way to achieve company’s aviation safety goals
- To help the company achieve its business goals.
Aviation Safety Program
- Company safety programs MUST assign responsibility and accountability.
- Safety must be built into every process and operation, as an integral part.
- Safety is achieved via control of the working environment and people’s actions.
- Safety programs must allow operations to be conducted economically, efficiently, AND safely.
Foundation Elements of Good Aviation Safety Programs
- Top management leadership
- Assignment of responsibility
- Maintenance of safe working conditions
- Establishment of safety training
- Establishment of an incident records system
- Acceptance of personal responsibility.
Management’s Role in Safety
- Consistent enforcement of policy and programs
- Reviewing and acting upon safety reports
- Reviewing department safety records with supervisors and managers
- Making safety records a “management metric”
- Participating in safety meetings, award programs, and other safety-related events
- Recognizing good safety results and motivating employees
- Setting a good example.
First-Line Supervisor Responsibilities for Safety
- Hazards in the workplace are identified and reported to management
- Each employee knows the hazmat and hazardous conditions of their workplace
- Employees know the proper use and storage of hazmat, and emergency responses
- Employees understand and use safe work procedures.
Safety Program Elements
- Formal aviation safety policy statement
- Safety program goals
- Program placement & management structure
- Responsibilities & authorities of key personnel: Inspections, reports, investigations, advice, training, etc.
- Aviation safety committee
- Aviation safety inspections and audits
- Safety education and training
- Safety awards program
- Mishap investigation process
- Safety and accident analysis program
- Internal reporting system: hazards, hazardous conditions, suggestions, incidents, inspection and accident reports.
- Information distribution system: Newsletters, meetings, posters.
Formal Aviation Safety Policy
- Comes from the CEO of the organization
- Relatively concise and clear
- Published and fully disseminated.
Safety Program Goals: Examples
- Provide a safe, healthful work environment.
- Prevent aircraft and other accidents.
- Minimize injury/damage from accidents.
- Prevent injury/damage to non-company persons.
- Reduce insurance costs
- Reduce costs and increase ops capability by reducing damage to aircraft
- Identify and eliminate hazardous conditions
- Have an active hazmat control program
- Emphasize safety in maintenance programs
- Include safety planning in all operational activities.
Program Placement and Management Structure
- The chief safety officer should report to the CEO
- The safety department should be high in the organization so it has:
- Power
- Visibility
- Influence
Responsibilities and Authorities
- Who will be the chief safety officer?
- What authority to:
- Spend money
- Commit other resources
- Hire people
- What staff and assigned resources
- Safety staff vs. line organization managers.
Aviation Safety Committee
- Basic functions:
- Maintaining interest in safety
- Channel for safety communications
- Mission and responsibilities
- Membership composition
Inspections and Audits
- A management “control” function
- Are actions conforming to plans
- Scope/subject: depends on the purpose of the inspection
- Checklists
- Briefings and de-briefings
- Inspection responses.
Safety Education and Training
- Training by subject matter:
- Generalized for most people
- Specialized for jobs and risks
- Training by period:
- Initial
- Recurrent
- Mandatory or optional.
Safety Awards Program
- Purposes:
- Reward positive behavior, not necessarily outcomes
- Motivate others toward positive behavior
- Criteria
- Timeliness
- Presentation
- Possession/permanence
- Display.
Mishap/Incident Investigation Process
- Airlines typically do NOT have accident investigation staff.
- Form small ad-hoc teams to investigate mishaps/incidents that national agencies do not cover.
- Results used to improve company procedures and mission accomplishment
- Do have extensive “pre-accident” plans–prepare airlines to respond to accidents quickly and effectively.
Airline Pre-Accident Plan Contents
- Governing laws and regulations
- Company policy and priorities
- Notifications
- Responders
- Wreckage security
- Photographic requirements
- News media policies and procedures
- Records security and provision
- Company role in investigations
Airline Pre-Accident Plan Contents
- Communications
- Management of passengers
- Management of aircraft contents
- Next-of-kin notification
- Damaged aircraft recovery
- Funds and accounting.
Safety and Accident Analysis Program
- Safety data collection and analysis
- Hazard analyses
- Probabilities
- Opinion surveys
- Critical incident techniques
- Cost-benefit analyses
- Risk analyses
- Accident Causation Modeling .
Internal Reporting System
- “Pilot Reports”
- Incident Reports (airline definition)
- NTSB Incident Reports
- Hazard Reports
- Maintenance Feedback Reports.
Information Distribution System
- A lot of info is collected/analyzed
- Critical Info:
- Flight crew reading files
- Flight crew briefings
- Dispatcher info
- Direct mail, e-mail, telefax
- Nice-to-Know info:
- Bulletin boards
- Newsletters
- Posters
- Meetings.
Fundamental Steps in Accident Prevention Program
- Set standards
- Conduct inspections and audits
- Management action to achieve compliance with standards
- Identify hazards
- Resolve the hazards
Accident Prevention Methods: Establish Standards
- Standards-minimum expected levels of performance.
- Shop and company
- Company ops manuals
- Local laws and policies
- National legislation and regulation
- International agreements
Accident Prevention Methods: Identify Hazards
- Conduct safety audits and inspections
- Have a hazard reporting system
- Have an internal incident reporting system
- Have a data recording and analysis program
- Prioritized system to address hazards
Maintenance Safety Inspection Areas
- Records of aircraft, personnel, authorizations
- Organization of maintenance resources
- Maintenance policies
- Reference manuals and technical data
- Training records
- Aircraft records
- Quality assurance program
- Parts, supplies, and spares
- Tools and equipment
- Facilities and fixtures