Risk Management and Aviation Safety

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A safety management system, an SMS, refers to a structural approach in managing the safety of staff as well as clients through accountabilities, policies, and procedures. This is done by determining activities that management organizations will follow to achieve acceptable or adequate levels of safety (“Safety Management System”, 2020). In aviation, aircraft operators, aircraft maintenance organizations, air navigation service providers, airport operators, training organizations, and aircraft manufacturers are responsible for implementing these safety management systems.

In a video created by CAA International, “How to apply Safety Management Systems (SMS) in aviation? By the UK Civil Aviation Authority”, a breakdown of the system’s design, practical use, as well as responsibility distribution are outlined. First, it is essential to have a risk assessment strategy to define the likelihood and severity of a potential accident (CAA International 2019). This allows the responsible managers to prioritize risks and make decisions about either accepting the risks or lowering them to an appropriate level of safety. These risk management techniques are called risk mitigations and controls, which are barriers and defenses against possible danger. Another important aspect of risk assessment is keeping track of events that take place before and after introducing risk mitigations. This will allow for data collection and analysis of the effectiveness of certain actions taken to prevent accidents.

I found the most important part of the video to be about positive safety culture that can reflect on the effectiveness of an SMS. It is the responsibility of the accountable manager and the senior management team to promote positive behavior and the correct implementation of the safety culture. Individuals that work or visit the company or airport influence the SMS in use, so communication lines between management teams, supervisors, and frontline workers are essential.