System Safety Engineering in the aviation industry - Essay Example

Nevertheless, it is arguably true that the modern forms of transport are more expensive and definitely more risky than the traditional forms of transport. The aviation industry falls under the modern transport systems and its contribution to the creation of a global economy is unquestionable. Statistically, over 2000 airlines in the world operate about 23,000 aircrafts in over 3700 airports. The US aviation industry registers about 11 million flight departures per year via its 100 plus certified passenger airlines thus becoming the most dominant airline industry in the world (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012).

The aviation industry facilitates the movement of goods, people, and information across the globe. In fact, its impact ranges from its own operations and its influence on aircraft manufacturing and other fields. At the same time, the aviation industry is more significant in ensuring world security where almost all nations use airplanes and helicopters to enhance security and attack enemies. More so, the aviation industry is significant in world surveillance and tourism where it ensures the safe and fast movement of tourists from one site to another.

In addition, the aviation industry has been relevant in many rescue operations as well as staging different entertainment extravaganzas. As such, the importance of the aviation industry is evident in many aspects. Nevertheless, for the aviation industry to prosper, abject security measures must be in place. Security in the aviation industry may relate to safety of goods and people from accidents, hijackings, criminal attacks, engine failure, and possible natural calamities. Indeed, a lapse of security in the aviation industry is fatal, can cause serious injuries, attracts distractions of operations and accruals of huge costs, affects tourism, and destruction of properties.

On the other hand, security in the aviation industry guarantees fewer accidents and injuries, improved maintenance scheduling and productivity, reduced material losses, a marketable safety record, high employee morale, resource utilization, and smooth running of the industry (Bayuk, 2012). This being the case, security in the aviation industry is very essential and the world through individual governments and organizations has initiated different mechanisms to ensure safety in the aviation industry.

This paper will look into the system safety engineering in the aviation industry through various topics that include safety analysis in engineering, safety management, hazard analysis, process safety analysis, fault tree analysis, FMECA, human factors, and software safety, data sources and training, accident reporting and investigation, and risk evaluation. System safety refers to engineering and management principles, criteria that guarantee security. However, to ensure overall safety in the aviation industry, the need for a systems approach to safety management is inevitable.

Nevertheless, the success of the adoption and effectiveness of a given safety management system highly depends on the organization’s safety culture and other related factors. As such, safety in the aviation industry will require the input of every department and all parties involved with an aim of engaging in measures and practices that reduces safety risk. Ideally, the more the number of people handling safety issues, the less the