Safety Management Systems In Aviation - Book Report/Review Example

Safety Management Systems In Aviation Abstract Aviation has been viewed as one of the safest modes of transport for some time now as it overrides other modes of transportation by far. However, aviation is very fatal if accidents or mishaps occur and it has been recorded that during such times, survival chances are near nil to slim. Accidents causes have been blamed on human s on most occasions. This statement holds true. However, the contributions of both system and non human factors cannot be ignored either. Since time immemorial, there has not been clear and defined implementation of the quality management systems in many countries, except Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The technique is now being implemented in many countries like the United States. Canada is currently the leading country in terms of having safety management systems already in existence. Goglia (2008), in his book, “Safety Management Systems in Aviation”, provides a clear explanation of the appropriate safety precautions that aviation industries must adopt to reduce and even avoid accidents. He also outlines the four pillars included in the quality management of aviation industries. These pillars include risk management, implementation of the safety management systems, reliability engineering and the scientific rigidity designed into positive safety (Goglia et al, 2008). This book is of great importance not only to students of aviation safety, but also to safety management system practitioners in any branch of aviation. To ensure safety, the system must be protected from unreliable and incompetent workforce, since they are the sole cause of system failures. To achieve this, strict measures must be employed including selection, proper training and discipline of humans, automation to reduce human errors and proceduralization. By keeping humans accountable to safety, accidents and harm are bound to significantly reduce in work areas. Quality Management System for Aviation Safety and Human Safety in Aviation Transportation Safety management system refers to the systematic processes involved in managing safety in institutions and industries. It provides objectives, planning and ways of measuring performance. A good safety management system defines how an industry identifies possible risks in workplace and plans to deal with those risks. According to international labor organization, ILO, the basic components of safety management systems include guiding principle, organizing, implementing, evaluating and enhancement of safety[Rob071]. Policing involves establishment of workplace policy stating the requirements for an organization. Organizing on the other side refers to structuring of the industries, defining the responsibilities and accountabilities of the workforce. Planning and implementation involves risk prevention, assessment and management of risk in case of occurrence. Examples of risks and hazards in the aviation industry include human factors like foreign debris and other items left on the runway, provision of misleading information or failure to provide information at all, pilot error and stalling; natural factors like lightening, ice and snow, fires, volcanic eruptions among others; engineering errors like engine failure and poor aircraft structure are also fatal. An industry or organization must allow for improvement action in accordance with the ILO guidelines. The European aviation safety lays down the elements of safety as the strategy, the program and the safety plan[Rob071]. Strategy includes policies and objectives from authorities as documented by European Parliament and the European Commission in a Communication to the Council. Safety management at the European Union aviation system is performed at the member state level and the global level[Int93]. Safety management at aviation industries includes all measures to maintain safety in the airline industries, the aerodrome operations and the air traffic management. For the safety management to be effective, an aviation industry must recognize that threats and risks will always be there and acknowledge that maintaining safety is the responsibility of all involved. Laws have been passed to help in regulating civil aviation in many countries, a factor that has seen tremendous reduction in the number of accidents in the aviation industry. Initially, safety management was viewed as a way of avoiding extra costs due to compensation of losses of people and property[Bra03]. Whichever way one chooses to look at it, safety management is a good thing and impacts positively on an industry. It takes commitment and competence to effect safety management. Basically, the safety process is achieved in the following simple steps. First, the hazard is identified, and then the management is informed about the occurrence of that hazard. Following reporting is the analysis and evaluation of that hazard to find out the cause. This is followed by defining a correcting, controlling or mitigating measure to curb the hazard. Finally, the mitigation measure is evaluated for effectiveness to avoid future occurrence of the same hazard. This is documented and records availed in the future[NTS03]. Dekker et al (2011) in their article “The complexity of failure: Implications of complexity theory for safety investigations”, points out the major cause of aviation accidents to human causes as is echoed by many other writers about aviation safety. According to them, 96 percent of aviation accidents were attributed to flight crew, citing the causes as crew failure, inexperience, poor judgment and inadequate planning among others. (Dekker et al, 2011, in Holden, 2009.) Human errors are a manifestation of a bigger underlying problem in the system that must be solved first. Descartes, a philosopher-scientist, had previously acknowledged the fact that for a whole system to fail, their must be precedent failure of the components of the system. Failing in the systems or components of the system may be due to human or non human causes. The authors further stipulate that harm or accidents can be foreseen and thus can be prevented from happening. This is possible since experts “can know the initial positions and momentum of components constituting a system, as well as the forces acting on those components” (Dekker et al, 2011. p.2). Causes for the effects will always be available and can be found if investigated well. It is therefore paramount for human personnel to be competent enough and avoid malfunctioning of components of systems or whole systems. It is clear from this article that accidents are avoidable when appropriate measures are taken. In case of occurrence of an accident, then investigations must be carried out to analyze the cause in an attempt to prevent future occurrence of such accidents. These investigations must gather information on the event as much as possible, bearing in mind that there are many possible causes of accidents (Dekker, 2011). Managing safety can be approached in two different ways; system centered or person centered. The latter is applicable not only to accidents due to unintentional errors, but also to violations of rules and regulations. There are standard measures that workers are supposed to adhere to. Failure to meet these standards results in violation of rules and is punishable. A safety protocol violation as defined by Holden (2008) is “deliberate departures from rules that describe the safe or approved method of performing a particular task or job” (Holden, 2009, p.9). Violations are guided by operating procedures laid down by the industries. Therefore if the industries are more money oriented than they are on safety management then accidents are prone to increase even with safety protocols. If changes are to be made in safety, then changes must be adopted that not only address people but also the components of the system that people interact with. Holden highlights production of engineering solutions to safety as the major challenge to upgrading safety measures in aviation and other industries. As discussed above, accidents and harm in aviation can be avoided by strict implementation of safety standards and penalizing those who violate the safety protocols. This can be achieved by carrying out legal investigations into accidents, and effecting disciplinary measures to violators of safety protocols, be it individual employees or the firm management. Canada for instance inspects operations of aviation industries to ascertain that they meet the regulations of the safety management system[Int93]. Educating people by training and placing posters to increase safety awareness can also prove effective in curbing aviation accidents. Work should be equally distributed among workers and cooperation between workers and employers is necessary for good relationships which contribute to safe working conditions. Publications on safety management systems must be availed to the public if safety is to be achieved. Accidents resulting from system failures due to engineering problems can be avoided by improving engineering skills and perfecting the systems[San93]. For instance, aircrafts designs are improved, navigation aids updated and all devices properly engineered and maintained. Safety in aviation industries is important and must be strictly maintained. The reason for this is obvious, to retain the sanctity and value of human life. Offering quality services and products to consumers may also be another reason for safety management. There have emerged many institutions that aim to provide training on proper safety management in aviation and other industries. Such institutions include Transportation Safety institute of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, and the Safety Management System Suite of the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council among others (Goglia et al, 2008). These schools have the responsibility of molding experts who will ensure that safety at aviation and other industries is maintained. It should however be noted that it is the responsibility of all to uphold safety management, starting at individual level, the organizational level and most of all the policy implementation and enforcement. Rules and regulations must be clearly spelled out and the consequential penalties in case the rules are not adhered to indicated. Reference Rob071: , (Robson & Clarke, 2007), Int93: , (International Civil Aviation Organization, 1993), Bra03: , (Braithwaite & Mountford, 2003), NTS03: , (NTSB, 2003), San93: , (Sanders & McCormick, 1993), Read More