Safety Systems (SMS) - SM4 Safety Articles & Resources
Maximizing Your SMS: Differences Between Audits, Evaluations and Investigations
Audits, evaluations and investigations are distinctively different and powerful tools for supporting decision-making within an organization’s safety management system (SMS). Understanding the differences of the SMS “big three” can help us utilize each tool at the right time with minimal resources and result in the quality decision-making required within the SMS risk management framework.
Understanding the Effect of Increased Aviation Demand and Fatigue on Pilots
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the aviation industry, with travel restrictions and flight cancellations severely impacting air travel over the past three years. Business aviation was one of the most impacted air travel sectors, as organizations opted for virtual meetings or found other ways to engage remotely with their clients and colleagues.
What Would Marcus Aurelius Do?
In a recent discussion with an experienced pilot about this, he immediately gave his biggest concern. “It’s not just about pilots or air traffic controllers, everybody is new,” he said. From maintenance personnel to ground support, thousands of new entries into our industry are learning as they go and making simple mistakes along the way. It has always been this way with inexperienced people, but now we have a lot more of them.
Management of Change (MoC): A Collaborative Approach To Raising Awareness Amidst a Constant State of Change
Identifying and managing hazards affecting an operation’s integrity is a fundamental objective of all flight departments or organizations working within a risk-based environment. In aviation, more and more operators are coming to the conclusion, and rightly so, that mere regulatory compliance is not an assurance of operational integrity and safety.
Strategies for Reducing a Concerning Trend in Runway Excursions
Over a four-year period ending in 2010, there were 20 runway excursions at Jackson Hole, WY (KJAC). As a result of this uptick in excursions, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 11011. A combination of the heightened awareness created by the SAFO and the Jackson Hole airport and operators adopting many of the recommendations successfully has mitigated excursions over the last 12 years.
SMS and ERP: Moving Toward Full Integration
Regulatory approaches to aviation safety are after-the-fact reactions to major incidents and accidents or historical data studies. Where working safety professionals value proactivity and prevention, governmental agencies often take an…
Getting to Zero One Report at a Time
In the world of safety management, the goal is zero accidents and incidents. While zero may seem an elusive and unreachable goal, improvements in processes and attitudes can prevent accidents and generate a positive culture of safety within an organization if everyone participates.
What If I Can’t Sleep 8 Hours?
Sleep is precious. Ample scientific evidence exists that getting enough sleep sharpens the brain, improves mood, helps with weight management and boosts athletic performance. In fact, the American Heart Association recently added sleep to its cardiovascular health checklist. But what if you’re an aviation professional who struggles to get eight consecutive hours? Your total daily sleep may be enough.
To Declare or Not To Declare
Due to a greater prevalence of “critical events” compared to higher-status “emergency response plan-activating events,” we propose that critical events pose a powerful opportunity for practicing and refining emergency response procedures. We also feel organizations should “over-respond” to critical events out of an abundance of caution.
