Lead the Way

At the recent Federal Aviation Administration International Safety Forum acting FAA Administrator, Robert Sturgell, addressed the need for the aviation industry to embrace and "become activists for safety management systems (SMS)." Is this just another bureaucratic attempt to produce safety-speak or is there merit to this safety system?

Some maintenance companies like AAR are already embracing the SMS philosophy and should be commended.

Like lean and Six Sigma, SMS is a process involving continuous improvement and its proponents say that it will allow users to detect and correct safety problems before those problems result in an aircraft accident or incident. "The best way to characterize the safety management system is to say that it is a structure of voluntary, non-punitive reporting methods set up with an organization to foster safety awareness all across the board," Sturgell said. "Even small bits of information can point to a larger problem before that large problem can become a catastrophe."

What are the elements of an SMS? According to Advisory Circular AC150/5200-37, available at www.www.faa.gov, there are four elements. First, the SMS should have a formally expressed safety policy and objectives. The policy and objectives should be supported by top management with the authority to control resources. Next, the program should have safety risk management to identify hazards, determine potential risks and design appropriate risk mitigation strategies. The third element is safety assurance which includes self-auditing, external auditing and safety oversight. Finally, the system needs safety promotion. This facet of the program includes training and education, safety communication, competency and continuous improvement.

The safety risk management portion of the program is critical and is a fundamental component of SMS. There must be a formal risk assessment program that identifies and documents hazards. As Sturgell said in his remarks at the safety conference, "Aviation is no longer in the business of combing through the wreckage to find answers. SMS will give us the intelligence we need before the problem reaches the headlines. SMS uses hard data to point us in the direction we need to go. We don’t need to wait for something bad to happen."

I am reminded of another program put forth by this administration: No Child Left Behind (NCLB). At its core, it is a noble and worthy cause that sets its sights on continuous improvement of our public schools. But the implementation and support, or lack thereof, will make all the difference. One of the reasons I support NCLB is because of the ability to measure the results. Now, I am not a huge fan of standardized test for children, but, as any parent of a child with learning disabilities will tell you, the standardized tests allow the progress of the child to be monitored by the results of those tests. Measurability will also be key to SMS.

Like NCLB, if the SMS program is poorly implemented or under-funded, there is little hope for success. But, with the commitment of upper management, appropriate funding, and follow through, SMS, like NCLB, will better our world. Also, in a departure from the fundamental nature of NCLB where schools that don’t make adequate yearly progress are penalized, SMS is non-punitive. Your safety record becomes your reward.

The International Air Transport Association is offering classes in 2008 to help those attending acquire the knowledge, techniques and skills needed in developing, implementing and managing an SMS, as well as measuring its performance. Training and communication are crucial to this effort. "Everything is interdependent. The true value comes when data are shared, not isolated," Sturgell said. "There’s no place in safety for secrets."

Should the maintenance industry wait to see how this program works out for other areas of aviation? Why wait? Some maintenance companies like AAR are already embracing the SMS philosophy and should be commended for their efforts. The maintenance industry should be on the cutting edge of this movement and be the leaders for the industry.