Safety Management at an Airline

Many airlines conduct safety meetings from time to time. This is good, but if safety is a core value, safety implications should be raised and addressed as a normal part of doing business. Requiring that safety be a part of every management, decision underlines the importance of safety and ensures that safety is a normal part of the way all jobs are done.

By Ghanashyam Acharya

Judging by the number of airlines in Nepal it will be right to assess that aviation in Nepal is growing and the public is confident that the aviation industry in Nepal is safe. Maintenance of aviation safety is a growing concern. Recent helicopter crash at Rara Lake and the plane crash at the World Trade Center are two different examples of safety infringements and it will be right to say that aviation industry is still facing serious challenges. Challenges are being felt at both airlines and regulatory agency levels. One of the major challenges is the growth of aviation itself. Safety management systems are based on the fact that there will always be hazards and risks and management is required to identify and control these threats to aviation safety before they lead to mishaps.

Why safety management systems?

In recent years a great deal of effort has been devoted to understanding how accidents happen in aviation. It is now generally accepted that most accidents result from human error. It would be easy to conclude that these human errors indicate carelessness or incompetence on the job but that would not be accurate. Investigators have found that human factor is only the last link in a chain that leads to an accident. Accidents cannot be prevented by simply changing people but by addressing the underlying causal factors.

In the 1990’s the term ‘organizational accident’ was coined because most of the links in an accident chain are under the control of the organization. Since the greatest threats to aviation safety originate in organizational issues, making the system even safer will require action by the airline. Extensive research in safety in the developed world has concluded that the most efficient way to make the aviation system safer is to adopt safety management system.

What is a safety management system?

A safety management system is a businesslike approach to safety. It is a systematic, explicit and comprehensive process for managing safety risks. Safety management system is practice in same way like present day management theory since it provides for goal setting, planning, and measuring performance.

What does safety management system do for an airline?

Many airlines have gone bankrupt due to the heavy cost of a major accident. This makes a strong case for safety, but the cost of occurrences is only part of the story. Researchers have shown that safety and efficiency are positively linked. Safety pays off but reducing losses and enhancing productivity. Safety is good for business.

A safety management system provides an airline with the capacity and capability to anticipate and address safety issues before they lead to an incident or accident. A safety management system also provides management with the ability to deal effectively with accidents and incidents so that valuable lessons are applied to improve safety and efficiency. The safety management system approach reduces losses and improves productivity.

The basic safety process is accomplished in five steps as given below:

1. A safety issue is raised or identified or an incident or accident happens

2. The event is reported or brought to the attention of management

3. The event, hazard, or issue is analyzed to determine its cause

4. Corrective action is developed and implemented

5. The corrective action is evaluated to make sure it is effective. If the safety issue is resolved, the action is documented and the safety enhancement maintained. If the problem or issue is not resolved, it is re-analyzed until it is resolved.

Basic safety process:

Safety management systems incorporate the basic safety process, as outlined above, into the management of an airline. The traditional flight safety approach depends on a flight safety officer from operations management who reported to the managing director of the airline. The safety officer had, in effect, no authority to make changes that would enhance safety. The safety officer or his/her department’s effectiveness depended on the ability to persuade management to act.

A safety management system holds managers accountable for safety related action or inaction. Philosophy of the safety management system requires that responsibility and accountability for safety shall be retained within the management structure of the airline.

The directors and senior management are ultimately responsible for safety, as they are for other aspects of the airline. Airline should identify their ‘accountable executive’. This is the person who must have financial and executive control. The ‘accountable executive’ of an airline shall fail to achieve intended output without having any financial and executive control.

The safety management system approach advocates that authority and accountability should co-exist. Airline can benefit by implementing safety management system approach which concentrates by establishing safety as a core value, carrying out safety audit and self-assessment. Procedure of accident and incident reporting and investigation and establishment of emergency response plan are its major hallmarks.

Establishment Safety as a core Value

The best way to establish safety as a core value is to make safety an integral part of the management plan. This should be done by setting safety goals and holding managers and employees accountable for achieving those goals.

To be effective, goal should be practical and achievable, which can be verified. Goals should be set and deadlines for meeting them should be also established. Managers must follow through and hold those responsible to account for their progress toward the goals. Success or failure in meeting safety goals should be treated in the same way as success or failure at meeting any other types of business goals.

Many airlines conduct safety meetings from time to time. This is good, but if safety is a core value, safety implications should be raised and addressed as a normal part of doing business. When operational or financial concerns are discussed, associated safety issues should be considered as well. Requiring that safety be a part of every management decision underlines the importance of safety and ensures that safety is a normal part of the way all jobs are done.

When management establishes safety as core value and makes it known to the employee, practices what it preaches, staff becomes more involved in safety management which ensures effectiveness.

Safety Audit and self-assessment

Safety audit or self-assessments should be conducted regularly by airlines to ensure that correct procedures are being followed and which helps to resolve any problems or misunderstandings. By doing this, management is assured on a regular basis that policies, procedures and practices are correct and consistent, and is alerted when an area needs attention.

Accident, Incident Reporting and Investigation

Fortunately, accidents are rare. Incidents, however, are much more common. Furthermore, incidents and less serious accidents often acts as wake up calls alert employees and managers to hazards, risks, or possibilities that they had not considered before. Every incident and accident is an opportunity to learn valuable safety lessons.

The lessons will be understood, only if the occurrence is analyzed so that managers and staff understand not only what happened, but why it happened.

Every incident and accident should be reported and investigated. The team of investigators must be technically competent and either possess or have access to background information so that facts and events are interpreted accurately. The investigator should have the confidence of staff and the investigation process should be a search to understand how the mishap happened, not a hunt for someone to blame.

The investigation report must go to the responsible manager who has the authority to act on the findings so that airline learns from investigating incident and is able to remove hazards or strengthen defenses as required.

Emergency Response Plan

As stated previously, accidents are rare. This is good news. The bad news is that a good safety record can lead an airline into self-satisfaction so that if something really bad does happen, they may not be prepared to deal with it. Every airline should have an emergency response plan. The situation is very critical of on the first few hours or days following an accident and it plays crucial role on survival of the airline.

An emergency response plan outlines in writing what should be done after an accident happens, and who is responsible for each action. When the plan is adopted, relevant staff should be briefed on the plan and their responsibilities. Appropriate staff should receive training in emergency response procedures. This helps the airline and each staff knows what to do in the event of an emergency or accident.

Documentation

The safety management system should be formally documented in appropriate manuals, directives and/or instructions. Documentation must be tailored to the needs of the airline so that more time can be devoted to safety and less to administration and clerical activities.

Management of an airline must set safety goals loud and clear, since clearly stated safety goal lead to a commitment to action, which will enhance the safety of an airline.

This becomes more difficult because managing safety is never ending struggle to identify and control or minimize hazards. This involves the costs, which does not come cheap.

A sound decision making process for risk management provides the information needed to control risk at acceptable levels.

A safety management system is woven into the fabric of an airline. It becomes part of the culture, the way people do their jobs. Safety is not accomplished solely by the owners or any other individual in an airline. Safety involves everyone. A safety culture is invaluable in encouraging the kind of behavior that will enhance safety. Re-enforcing safety conscious action sends the message that management cares about safety.

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