Safety Management System in Aviation Industry - Research Paper Example

Safety Management System in Aviation Industry Number Due Airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers are key components of the aviation industry and they are currently experiencing safety related issues. Safety in the aviation industry is an important aspect and this has been further reaffirmed by the increasing public expectations regarding aviation safety. This paper has examined the role of safety management system in the aviation sector and has further outlined the necessary strategies and steps that organizations in the aviation sector should employ so as to enhance safety. The identified components of a robust safety management system plan for the aviation industry include safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion. The above safety management system components have the potential of providing the necessary frameworks and guidelines for managers in the aviation industry to execute and implement effective system safety program plan in the organization. Introduction The central role and aim of aviation organizations is to deliver services, achieve production output and generate return on investments so as enhance their growth and sustenance of operations (Castro, 2005). Airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers are key components of the aviation industry. Safety in the aviation industry is an important aspect and this has been further reaffirmed by the increasing public expectations regarding aviation safety. A safety management system refers to a systematic approach that is geared towards managing safety and it entails the necessary organizational structure, accountabilities, policies and procedures (Castro, 2005). The aviation industry extensively relies on safety management system in order to achieve overall safety at both the organizational level and individual level. The role of safety management system in the aviation industry is to prevent human injury or loss of life and to avoid damage to the environment and to property (Yilmaz, 2008). Despite the overarching need for safety in the aviation industry, safety management system has not been fully implemented and fostered across the industry. This paper examines the role of safety management system in the aviation industry and strategies and approaches that can be used to implement and execute a safety management system in the aviation industry. Safety Management System in the Aviation Industry System safety refers to the application of engineering and management principles, criteria, and techniques with a view of optimizing safety within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time, and cost throughout al phases of the system life cycle (Stephans, 2004). In this approach or discipline, the things that are made safe include systems, programs, projects, products, operations and facilities. It system safety, the term “as safety as practical” is normally used as it refers to the best degree of safety or optimum risk management within certain constraints such as operational effectiveness, cost and time. Before an organization embarks on system safety management it should identify and review the reasons for undertaking the system safety exercise, how to carry out the system safety, when to carry out the system safety and the person(s) charged with responsibility of carrying out the system safety for the organization. As highlighted in the preceding paragraphs, system safety efforts are more common, alive and crucial in the aerospace industry and nuclear realms but the trend has since extended and is currently applied in other sectors. In the aviation industry, safety management system is a formal and a top down business like approach that is used to manage safety risks (Wittmer, Bieger, & Muller, 2011). Safety management system entails systematic procedures, practices and policies for the management of safety and it further encompass safety risk assessment, safety policy, safety assurance and safety promotion (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). Safety can be enhanced and accident and incident rates reduced if the key players in the aviation industry such as the airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers take the active role of improving safety. They can only achieve the above objectives by adopting and implementing safety management system in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Safety management system is crucial in the aviation industry as it integrates and links safety professional who are mandated with accident prevention and operators who are focused on production. The enhanced relationship and coherence between safety professionals and operators as a result of system safety management is vital for safety improvement in the aviation industry (Salas & Maurino, 2010). With the increased need for safety and intensified public perception on safety in the aviation sector, there is need for ally players and organizations in the aviation sector to adopt system safety management as part of their management and administration. Furthermore, the adoption of system safety management in the aviation industry has the potential of reducing costs and enhanced the reputation of airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers. System safety management is pegged on four pillars or components namely policies and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). In addition, system safety is often based on certain guidelines and fundamentals that should be adhered to before an organization undertakes to perform system safety. Safety Policy and Objectives It is imperative for the management of airports, airlines, air traffic organizations and aviation service providers to initiate and support system safety management by setting out safety standards and policies. In addition, the management should encourage participation of every person in the system safety management process, facilitate the flow of safety information and endeavor to support safety objectives in the organizations by allocating the necessary resources that are required to implement and execute safety (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). In order to achieve the above objectives, organizations in the aviation industry should set out safety policy statement. The import for the establishment of safety policy statement is that it provides direction and set out the necessary principles of actions that should be done in order to attain safety in the aviation sector. Safety policy statement also communicates the commitment and intentions of organizations in the industry to safe operations and continuous improvement of safety (Stephans, 2004). It is therefore important for organizations in the aviation sector to set out safety policy statements that can act an impetus to the staff in identification and understanding the safety priorities of a firm. On the other hand, it is important also for firms in the aviation industry to set out safety objectives. The main purpose of safety objectives is that it describes the overall approach and strategy of an organization towards safety and it identifies outcomes that system safety management can achieve (Stolzer, Halford, & Goglia, 2011). Safety objectives also enhance safety culture in organizations as it provides safety targets that individuals and the organization must work towards. For efficient and effective system safety management, firms in the aviation industry should link safety objectives to risk management and this should be used as a benchmark upon which safety performance is measured. It is important to note that safety policy statement and objectives for organizations in the aviation sector should reflect international safety rules and standards. For example if international or national aviation safety agencies or institutions have set out certain commitments and standards, firms in the sector should also follow suit and they should re-orient their safety policies and objectives in a manner that they are at tandem with other safety commitments from international aviation bodies. Safety Culture In order for a safety management system to achieve it its purpose and to remain effective, there is need for the aviation sector to create and nurture a culture of safety. Safety culture is one of the fundamentals components of the safety management system in the aviation sector. In addition, in has been established that safety culture is a crucial element to the foundation of accident prevention and safety management system. Safety culture refers to the commitment of an organization to safety at levels of its operations (Stolzer, Halford, & Goglia, 2011). As a core foundation of safety management system, a strong and robust safety culture in the aviation industry is the most effective and systematic way to reducing accident and incident cases. However, the benefits of safety culture as a basic component of the safety management system have not been realized in the aviation industry due to ineffective implementation and adoption of the concept across the industry. System safety management has the potential of steering organizations and players in the aviation industry to developing positive safety culture and further help in the reduction in the rate of fatal accidents in the aviation industry. In order to achieve a robust and effective safety culture in the aviation sector, safety promotional activities should be implemented and sustained over a long period of time. It is important to tailor the safety promotional activities in such away that they enhance, instill and reinforce a culture of safety throughout an organization (Salas & Maurino, 2010). Safety culture can be achieved by setting out safety policy statement and objectives. The management of aviation institutions should take cognizant of the fact that safety culture is not only limited to the safety of airline passengers but also the safety of airport and airline employees. As a result, safety culture should provide the overall commitment of the aviation industry towards best safety practices and continuous improvement of the same (Stolzer, Halford, & Goglia, 2011). In relation to safety culture in organizations, a safety management system underscores the need for the appointment of key aviation safety personnel and safety committees that can be held accountable for safety issues. The aim of safety management system organization is to have a team of personnel or professionals who will be mandated with the responsibility of developing, implementing and monitoring safety issues and processes across the entire organization (Stephans, 2004). The appointment of key aviation safety personnel also ensures that the implementation and coordination of safety management system is administered, monitored and supported on day to day activities and this can further ensure the continuity and sustainability of safety programs and processes throughout the entire organization. According to the Airport Cooperative Research Program, persons who are selected to sprear head safety issues in the organization should have a good understanding of how the organization works and they should be able to access the top management for safety issues (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). The safety personnel that oversee and coordinate safety issues at aviation organizations should also be charged with the responsibility of safety planning. The personnel are therefore required to develop system safety program plan for their respective organizations and this plan often encompasses and provides system management safety details in terms of specific tasks to be carried out, risk assessment methodology, risk assessment criteria and the overall safety management system for the organization (Stephans, 2004). In the past, the aviation sector resorted to reactive position and strategy to safety and for along time, the sector has been seen to take action when an accident or incident has occurred. With the introduction of the safety management system in the aviation, the strategy has shifted from reactive position to proactive approach which has given rise to the development and sustenance of safety culture. In an environment where safety culture is practiced, the senior management should place more emphasis on safety, have an understanding of hazards within the workplace, accept criticism and be open to opposing views, foster an environment that encourages feedback and should underscore the need for communication of relevant safety information. In addition, the senior management should ensure that the staff are well educated and trained so that they can understand the consequences of unsafe acts and also the senior management team of organizations in the aviation industry should promote realistic and workable safety rules (Stolzer, Halford, & Goglia, 2011). Safety Risk Management Airlines, airports and other organizations that operate within the aviation sector are exposed to risk in their daily operations. Such risks may pose negative effects to operations, customers, corporate value, security and safety (Yilmaz, 2008). According to Stephans ( 2004), system saftety in organizations is based on risk assessment and acceptance. A safety management system has the potential of improving safety in aviation organizations by managing risks proactively. Risk assessment involves the identification of hazards and thereafter systematically assessing the likelihood and severity of such risks to the organization. After risk assessment, organizations are capable of developing control measures that geared towards reducing the risk to acceptable standards and levels. During risk assessment exercises, risk assessment codes are usually developed. The role of risk assessment codes (RAC) is that it provides the foundation and valid basis upon which acceptable risk levels or standards are determined, risks are prioritized and resources allocation is done in order to reduce the risks (Stephans, 2004). The role of safety risk management is therefore to determine the need for new or revised controls that are informed by organizational risk management. Safety risk management in organizations ensures that hazards are identified and any unacceptable risk is mitigated (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). In order for firms to execute safety risk management, the management should follow five steps that entail description of the system or activity, identification of hazards along the path of the system, determination of the actual risk, assessment and analyses of the risk and finally treatment and monitoring of the identified risks (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). Safety Assurance The third component of safety management system for organizations is safety assurance. Safety assurance includes internal auditing, external auditing and safety oversight. The role of safety assurance is to enable organizations in the aviation sector to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of the risk control and management strategies that they have implemented (Wittmer, Bieger, & Muller, 2011). During the process of safety assurance, organizations should purpose to monitor their safety issues by continuously collecting data and comparing them over time. In has been stressed that in order for an organization to produce reliable and believable risk assessment report, valid data are required (Stephans, 2004). This process can identify safety gaps and therefore help the organization to improve on its weak areas or deal with the identified gaps. Internal auditing and inspection provides a perfect opportunity for organization to asses the activities, systems and processes that have been used to enhance safety. Due to the rapid uptake and advancement of technology, there is need for the development of software that can help in the monitoring, collection and analysis of the data. Software system safety can play a key role in ensuring that hazards and risks are averted and reduced since they eliminate or reduce errors that are often associated with human error. Safety Promotion Safety promotion activities and initiatives are intended to support efforts and strategies that can aid in the developing and maintaining safety culture in organizations. It has been established that one of the challenges that is experienced in system safety management is the lack of qualified system safety engineers and managers that can execute such functions more effectively and efficiently (Stephans, 2004). The context of safety management system in the aviation industry, safety promotion involves training, communication and other initiatives that are necessary in the creation and maintenance of a positive safety culture in an organization (Salas & Maurino, 2010). The reason why training and education has been stressed as a core component of safety promotion is to ensure that the personnel receive appropriate knowledge in safety management system processes and also to build their capacity in terms of skills and knowledge needed to perform their duties and responsibilities with competence and safety. System safety education and training in organizations can be achieved by carrying out in-house programs, seminars and workshops that are often by individual consultants, private and professional firms or by institutions of higher learning such as universities (Stephans, 2004). On the other hand, safety communication plays an important role in the dissemination and sharing of safety information across the organization and between the organization and external agencies so as ensure that staff members and employees have the necessary and adequate safety information. Since communications has also been cited as a serious problem that hampers system safety efforts in organizations, it should also be addressed comprehensively. . In order to achieve effective safety communication, organizations should create an environment that encourages two-way communication between all stakeholders (Airport Cooperative Research Program, 2007). In addition, system safety engineers, managers and designers should develop a strategy where they communicate with various stakeholders and organizations, for instance by seeking inputs from local safety organizations and also from end users so as to benchmark and share ideas on system safety issues (Stephans, 2004). It is clear from the above system safety management framework that there are key general problem areas that need to be addressed before a system safety effort can deliver its functions of providing the safety services. The general problem areas include standardization, risk assessment codes, data, communications, life cycle, education and training, human factors and necessary software (Stephans, 2004). However, for the system safety efforts to be bear fruits and be able to meet its objectives, system safety standardization should be upheld. Standardization is the core pillar and foundation for any system safety effort and therefore system managers and engineers should ensure that they develop system safety management plan and program that is customized to the design of each individual effort. Conclusion The aviation sector is currently faced with safety issues and this has been further exacerbated by the increased public perception on aviation safety. This paper has proposed the adoption of safety management system as an effective tool in dealing with and managing safety related issues in the aviation industry. The role of safety management systems in aviation industry include the need for safety risks reduction for passengers, aircraft personnel, property and environment and to help managers in managing costs, operations and safety issues more effectively. The four components of safety management systems include safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance and safety promotion. For effective safety management system in aviation industry the top management should be directly involved and they should own the process so as to ensure a safety culture. In addition, a robust safety reporting and feedback mechanism, training and education of staff and program ownership for sustainability purposes should also back the process. Safety management system is essential for managers in the aviation industry due to the current risky, competitive and complex business environment. System safety engineers and managers should ensure that such systems are standardized and customized to the individual safety projects that the organization is undertaking. References Airport Cooperative Research Program. (2007). Safety Management Systems for Airports: Guidebook. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board. Castro, R. (2005). Corporate Aviation Management. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press. Salas, E., & Maurino, D. E. (2010). Human Factors in Aviation. Oxford: Academic Press. Stephans, R. A. (2004). System safety for the 21st century. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Stolzer, A. J., Halford, C. D., & Goglia, J. J. (2011). Implementing Safety Management Systems in Aviation. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Wittmer, A., Bieger, T., & Muller, R. (2011). Aviation Systems: Management of the Integrated Aviation Value Chain. New York: Springer. Yilmaz, A. K. (2008). Importance of the Enterprise Risk Management Practice for Airline Management: ANP-based Approach. International Journal of Business and Management , 3 (5), 138-146. Read More