Aviation Safety Program for Commercial Airline or Government Agency - Research Paper Example

Aviation safety program for commercial airline or government agency Aviation safety program Introduction One of the primary indicators that reflect the growth of a nation’s economy is the presence of a robust aviation sector. With many governments in the world disinvesting and the emergence of many private players, the competition has increased with the customer spoilt for many options and choices. However the infrastructure has not expanded proportionately with the same airport space catering to these increased number of air flights. In 2010, the total number of commercial flights was reported as 30 million. 113 major accidents were reported in 2009 which grew to 121 in 2010 even though the number of death casualties was reportedly lower. (ICAO, 2011) It is in this context that governments around the globe are framing rules and developing safety management guidelines to improve aviation safety. Evolution of Federal safety laws The Federal Aviation Agency was actually set up in 1958 when the Federal Aviation Act was passed in the parliament. (FAA, 21010)The duty of this agency was to develop a United States Air Traffic Control System and draft regulations for the National Airspace system. In 1966 the agency under the Department of Transportation (DOT) was renamed to Federal Aviation Administration. With the electronic booms in the 60’s the agency decided to automate some of its services and thus was born the automated radar traffic control system (ARTS).(FAA, 21010) In 1970 Air Traffic Control Systems Command Centre was formed which co-ordinated air traffic, weather and other control facilities. Later, in 1998 the Aviation Safety Research Act brought out recommendations on air worthiness of old aircrafts and unsafe human practices. By 2000, the FAA set up the Safety Management System to develop and implement a comprehensive policy on aviation safety taking various factors into account that affect the aircrafts performance both in the air and on the ground. In November 2001, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which was first instituted in the year 1944 to promote aviation safety brought in amendments to Annexure 11 with regard to rules on Air Traffic Services. It required that all member states should have a comprehensive SMS (safety management system) in place to handle aircrafts. (FAA, 21010) The FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) started in 2004 has specialized service centres for flight, ground handling and other technical Operations. This was done to split the entire system down for improving safety and efficiency of air travel Measuring safety Safety of aircraft operations can only be tangibly measured if there is data over a period to show that safe practices instituted have actually managed to reduce accidents. Adhering to the ICAO standards and recommended practices (SARPs) can improve the safe culture significantly. The member states are also subjected to an audit carried out by the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) which studies data regarding civil aviation, licensing & training of staff, operations, airworthiness, navigation easiness and accidents with its subsequent investigation. Source: Accident Records, ICAO, 2011 Reports are tabled on the audits done in such diverse areas. (ICAO, 2011) The State Aviation Activity Questionnaire (SAAQ) checklists coupled with USOAP audits are the present methods of tracking safety adherences. (ICAO, 2011) However in 2013 a new tool called Continuous Monitoring Approach shall be implemented which will identify areas where safety is questionable, risks that these operations entail and finally bring out a strategy to mitigate the risk. The only limitation is that there is a lot of human resource and capital that needs to be allocated to developing a robust feedback system which can assess the length to which the safety practices followed have actually been effective in bringing down accidents. Source: Continuous Monitoring Approach, ICAO, 2011 Human errors in aircraft errors The Human Factor Analysis and classification system (HFACS) has grouped human errors into four levels. These are 1. Unsafe Acts Unsafe acts are further classified into errors and violations. Skill based errors may be due to lack of attention, skipping a procedural step or simply on account of bad technique. ( Shappel Scott, 2000) Decision errors are due to incorrect procedures followed, inappropriate manoeuvring or response to an emergency that result in a poor judgement call. Perceptual Errors are mistakes due to incorrect judgement of space, altitude and speed. Violation on the other hand is disregarding safe procedures knowingly in the belief that accidents would not happen. Some of these violations include flying aggressively without following training rules, not having requisite qualification or flying hours, flying continuously in low altitudes over unauthorized routes and not checking instruments like the radar altimeter. 2. Preconditions for unsafe acts These are again further classified into substandard conditions of operators and substandard practices followed by operators. Substandard conditions of operators include negative mental states which promote distractions while flying, fatigue and lack of motivation. Source: Swiss cheese model, Shappel Scott, 2000 Negative physiological state includes illness, slowness in reacting, depressing attitude or general health which makes it physiologically incapable to take the rigours of flying. (Shappel Scott, 2000) Substandard practices include inadequate communication, misinterpretation, lack of back up and a no effective leadership to channel resources. 3. Unsafe supervision includes lack of proper training, less than qualified personnel for flying, lack of correct data, failure to identify unsafe driving traits in a risky pilot and total failure to enact rules and regulations. 4. Organizational failures include lack of budget allocation for training and up gradation, purchasing sub standard equipment, poor human resource policies and less importance being given to documentation procedures and other safety programs. ( Shappel Scott, 2000) Human errors that have been listed above can be limited to a large extent if the system is designed in such a way that the action is monitored and a proper feedback generated. This should act as report card with his performance having a direct bearing on his yearly appraisal. There is no substitute for proper training. Hence budgets should be allocated for training programs with special emphasis on safety. Identifying and selecting proper staff for a particular job is also important as are the HR policies which should keep the operator motivated and charged up for his daily routine. Safety practices in aircraft ground operations To understand the mishaps that take place during ground operations, the activities that take place need to be listed. Some of the ground activities include ramp activity, towing of the aircraft, checking and repairing of any faults, checking tire pressure and fuel content, removing ice from runways, providing power supply to the manning towers, routine maintenance and activities related to the escorting the passengers. Other areas also include cleaning of cockpit windows, handling the catering for passenger food, repair and maintenance of aircraft furnishings, seats, steps and also the loading and unloading of mail and cargo. (Landry Joanne & Ingolia Shane, 2011) Some of accidents that have occurred due to poor ground handling include disruption in operations, equipments and tools colliding with the aircraft, unsecured aircraft rolling over, towing vehicle sometimes colliding with parts of the plane, injuries to human personnel and also mishaps that cause potential harm to the environment. (Landry Joanne & Ingolia Shane, 2011) The reasons for some of these accidents have been attributed to the fact that the workers were not aware of their surroundings. Tiredness, lack of supervision and ineffective communication with total disregard for safety rules and regulations were some of the other reasons.To prevent such recurrences in the future the risk factors in ground operations have been assessed and better co-ordination between different departments is being encouraged. Source: ACI survey 2009 cited in Landry Joanne & Ingolia Shane, 2011 Designing better ramps layouts and following recommendations laid by the Airside safety committee have had impacts in reducing accidents in ground operations. Ground Accident Prevention (GAP) program and safety audits for ground operations (ISAGO) carried out ensure that a tab is kept on the unsafe practices and also in checking whether the operations are being done as per the Standardized operational safety procedures. (Landry Joanne & Ingolia Shane, 2011) However new emerging technologies like NextGen are coming up which seeks to bring in more automation in ground handling. Radar technologies like the ADS-B combine with GPS technology help is escorting the aircraft to the right place in the terminal. Ramp towers also are being upgraded for better co-ordination between pilots and operators on the ground. Risk management program in aviation Figures in 1998 showed that close to 3 billion US dollars was lost due to accidents on the ramp with other indirect costs pegged at 20 times the direct costs. (FAA, 2004) To take care of the economic and safety aspects, a risk management program needs to be evolved which is applicable to both flying and ground operations. Source: Safety risk management, FAA, 2004 According to this program, safety risk management guidance is provided to a wide array of aviation sectors like available airspace and service routes to be followed. This program would also cover procedures and standards to be followed during flight departures or landing and also amendments or modifications to an existing procedure. Other aspects include the stipulating the minimum time gap between take-offs and landings or the modifications that need to be carried out on a runaway to mitigate any kind of risks. (FAA, 2004) New equipments that would facilitate automation and thereby reduce chances of human error are also being incorporated into the risk management programme. Improved training and auditing procedures shall ensure that aircraft operations both on the ground and in air are safe, cost effective and one which enhances the brand value of the carrier. Occupational safety and health standards OSHA offers programs that are incorporated among a wide range of service sectors. The main intention of OSHA is to ensure that all workers working primarily under different environments are safe and secure. This can easily be replicated in the aviation sector both in flight and on ground with its four point program which covers 1. Commitment of the employer and the employee in promoting safe practices. People should be designated responsibilities and ensured that the workers under them are following these rules faithfully. (OSHA, 1996) Sufficient time should be given for the program to evolve so that workers realise its importance and rewards given as an incentive. 2. Help from Consultation Programs along with Job Hazard Analysis issued by OSHA could be sought in identifying areas in the ramp operations that are unsafe. 3. Ensure that potential hazards are identified and controlled. Work procedures are to be set up and directives for conducting emergency drills for fire etc should be planned. It also details the type of clothing to be worn including helmets and other protective gear according to the area of work. (OSHA, 1996) Medical help should be available at all times and evacuation procedures should be set in place in case of an emergency. 4. Lastly OSHA recommends that safety at a work place can only be achieved through effective training, working under able supervision and managers that take the lead in documenting safety lapses, work on it and guide employees in safer ground activity. OSHA promotes these activities through a network of well documented check lists which ensures that no safety criterion is missed out. Some of these include pasting posters for toxic materials, exits, X-ray rooms, initiating a safety committee that holds regular meetings, conducting basic first aid workshops, installing fire protection systems and ensuring that all are versed in the actual use of the extinguisher. (OSHA, 1996) Choice of protective clothing and gear, checking whether spillage has been cleaned, coverings for manhole openings and whether anti skid paint has been applied on walkways. It also checks for clear signboards of entry and exits and whether all hand tools properly kept back to their place of origin. Checklists to ensure that sharp objects like chisels, hammers and files not misplaced on the runway are also part of the program. Environmental Protection Agency also checks whether hazardous material has been stored properly and whether non degradable waste like asbestos has been disposed away in a safe manner. (OSHA, 1996) It also checks whether work areas have been properly lighted and ventilated when spray painting work is carried out. Duties and responsibilities of safety managers Safety managers hold an essential position in the aviation sector as they are directly responsible for the safety of the aircraft, its passengers, pilots and other ground handling staff. Such huge responsibility makes them an important cog with safety managers at different tiers within the organization responsible for different aspects of safety. The Vice President for safety is responsible for improving FAA safety, implementing safety management systems and report to the COO regarding policy matters on safety. (FAA, 2004) Safety Managers in each service unit shall monitor safety practices, identify drawbacks, make recommendations, advice members on the use of the safety manual, help in co-ordinating activities within different departments and ultimately provide suggestions to the VP of safety regarding modifications and overhaul of certain systems. (FAA, 2004) A basic aviation safety program An aviation program should covers all the facets of safety that have been discussed above and should also include methods to create data base for assessing safety, advice means of reducing human errors, invest in automation, apply an effective risk management program, incorporate OSHA standards and have clear delegation of duties to various safety managers working in various departments. The figure below in brief sums up the requirements for an effective safety program. Source: SMS for aviation organizations, 2010 Conclusion The ICAO has through its various initiatives charted out a comprehensive safety management plan. Through its various programs it has managed to bring down aircraft accidents considerably post 2005. However governments across the world need to invest more in promoting safety management systems and actually implementing these on the ground so that the aviation sector continues to be a safe place to operate. Reference List 1. ICAO, 2011, Sate of global aviation safety, International Civil Aviation Organization , pp 5-17 2. FAA, 2010, A brief history of the FAA, US Department of Transportation-Federal Aviation Administration, Retrieved on 15th November 2012 from www.faa.gov/about/history/brief_history/ 3. Shappel Scott, 2000, The human factors analysis and classification system-HFACS, US Department of Transportation-Federal Aviation Administration, pp. 3-13. 4. Landry Joanne & Ingolia Shane, 2011, Ramp safety practices-a synthesis of airport practice, Transportation Research Board-Federal Aviation Administration, pp 5-33 5. FAA, 2004, Safety management system manual, Federal Aviation Administration Version 1.1, pp.15-77 6. OSHA, 1996, OSHA Handbook for small business, US Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, pp 3-41 7. SMS for aviation organizations, 2010, Retrieved on 15th November 2012 from www.safeopsys.com/docs/SOS_SMS_Article.pdf Read More