|
Implementing a sound and appropriate Safety Management System (SMS) is the most efficient way to manage risks. To be predictive, data must be gathered, analyzed for trends and underlying circumstances, and archived for future reference and evaluation. Data collection can be accomplished manually (paper) and/or electronically (online) utilizing forms. The effectiveness of corrective actions can also be evaluated using submitted data.
Forms must be designed to support your SMS process and to solicit enough information to identify the risk factors and to contribute to the mitigation process. The following are sample forms with a description and the associated SMS requirement:
Description: The Incident / Hazard Report Form is a multiple step form designed to support your SMS process. The multistage form is programmed to automatically progress to the next assigned stage and individual until the process is complete with corrective action, an implementation date, and an assigned assessment date. This form simplifies the reporting process, form completion, and submission. This is a formal process that ensures that hazards in operations, maintenance, dispatch, facilities, and locations are identified.
SMS Requirement: The organization shall develop and maintain a formal process that ensures that all hazards are identified, analyzed, assessed and controlled. Hazard identification shall be based on a combination of reactive, proactive and predictive methods of safety data collection.
Description: A Postflight Report Form may be used to address the quality of services received while conducting a trip. Information on this form will evaluate hotel accommodations, catering, FBO service, ground transportation, passenger service, etc. The information submitted on an online form can be searched by airport identifier, date range, aircraft, or by keywords. If completed manually, the forms should be retained in an A-Z Binder, organized by airport identifier or name.
SMS Requirement: Service is an important aspect of any Flight Department. Poor service can lead to a potential safety risk, e.g., inadequate hotel accommodations may compromise flightcrew rest periods, below standard catering can lead to food poisoning, etc. Data gathered from previous flights allows prediction and mitigation of potential risks in advance.
Description: Although the published guidance is an operator's commitment to "best practices", deviations are acceptable in the interest of safety or when necessary to protect the flightcrew, passengers, or aircraft from a situation not covered in your Flight Operations Manual. The Deviation Request Form requires a review of compliance with State regulations and possible strategies for mitigation. All deviations are approved by the Director of Aviation / Chief Pilot.
SMS Requirement: The Deviation Request Form documents and tracks an operator's decision to deviate from established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the mitigation steps taken to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Information gathered from the Deviation Request Form will be examined for trends and underlying circumstances which may lead to updating company policy and/or procedures.
Description: Access to the online or hard copy form allows flightcrews and maintenance technicians to complete the information necessary for a comprehensive risk assessment by all personnel involved, along with the formal approval of the Director of Aviation / Chief Pilot or Director of Maintenance, as appropriate. Mitigation Strategies are documented and agreed upon by all personnel involved in the request for extension.
SMS Requirement: If deviations from the flight and/or duty time limitations are permitted, the system shall include provisions to assess the associated risks and apply appropriate mitigation to ensure that there is no degradation of safety. Deviations, risk assessment, and related mitigation will be recorded. Information gathered from the Extension to Duty Time forms will be examined for trends and underlying circumstances, which may lead to updating company policy and/or procedures.
Description: Safety meetings are typically held on a quarterly basis. Ideally, representatives from each area of operations should attend meetings either through a physical presence at the meeting or joining by teleconference. Safety meeting minutes will be recorded and made available to all Flight Department personnel through the Document Hosting component of the Safety Management Center or a Safety Binder if using paper (manually). Agendas can be developed and created through the Comm Centers and posted on the News Page or emailed is a manual process is used. Previous meeting minutes and documents are posted and archived through the Document Hosting function or if a manual process is used, a Safety Binder should be maintained.
SMS Requirement: Safety meetings address all pertinent safety issues, the effectiveness of noted mitigation strategies of all submitted Incident / Hazard Report Forms, and any other safety related concerns. The Safety Management Center provides a process to track meeting occurrences, record, schedule, and assign follow-up actions to issues.
Description: This tool is a proactive risk management tool to target and mitigate risks for a specific flight as an aspect of the SMS. Each risk has a weighted value that is automatically totaled. The total is color-coded and determines the next mitigation action. This tool allows operators to see the risk profile of a flight in its planning stages. The following categories are automatically subtotaled: Pilot Qualification and Training, Operating Environment, and Equipment.
Note: An operator can also change, after a realistic assessment, any item currently used in the tool. Over time this tool will become unique to each operator and can become a part of its complete SMS. Risk assessment tools are only part of the SMS and should not be considered the whole system.
SMS Requirement: The organization is required to develop and maintain procedures for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Mitigation. Risk assessment and management should be fully integrated into all operations and maintenance activities for an IS-BAO Stage Three level.
Description: The objective of the Safety Risk Profile is to identify, as a collaborative effort, the biggest risk that challenges your Flight Department and develop mitigation measures in order to lower that risk. Steps include: Identify, Categorize, Analyze, Develop Mitigation, and Review for Effectiveness. To discern the range of consequences that can result from a hazard, two additional sub-steps are considered: Severity and Likelihood. The Safety Risk Profile can be accessed, completed, and archived for continual review. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of events occurring. After discussion and/or brainstorming, during mitigation development, the ideas will subsequently be refined so that they are realistic and appropriate. Prior to undergoing any significant change that could impact the Flight Department, a Change Management Process will be undertaken.
SMS Requirement: Does the operator have a Safety Risk Profile or equivalent method of identifying the hazards and risks associated with the operation? Does the profile identify the major hazards and risks? Does it provide sufficient detail to explain the mitigation? Does the mitigation address the hazards and risks in accordance with their criticality? Is the mitigation integrated into procedures, training, processes, etc., as stated in the profile?
| 
