The flow of information in an SMS environment

1
The flow of information in an SMS environment

• South Pacific Aviation Safety Management
  Systems Symposium

2
The Underpinnings

• Safety Management Systems are predicated on
  useful data and information being collected,
  analysed /assessed, and used to make decisions
• Data and information provide the fuel for the
  tools use by all participants to manage risks
• The same data and information used by operators
  is used by regulators information flows both
  ways

3
Cont...

• The Civil Aviation Act contains powers and
  functions that compel and encourage the
  collection and use of information (s26, s72, s73,
  s74, etc)
• Civil Aviation Rules (e.g., Part 12) reflect the
  requirements of the Act

4
Information Flow

• Data and information flowing through the system
  already happens it isnt a new idea
• SMS will require about the same amount and type
  of information as is recorded and used now
• The flow of information is key to managing risks
  within the system according to the role we each
  have

5
How does CAA use information now?

• CAA uses information to understand safety risk,
  and to then
• Identify where risks sit within the system
• Design actions which mitigate those risks
• Implement those actions
• Measure whether the actions have the desired
  effect

6
Cont...

• Examples
• Risk profiles for an operator
• Systemic studies (e.g., the Agricultural Aircraft
  Safety Review)
• Identifying safety failures (e.g., rotor blades)
• Rules and regulatory change (e.g., changes to the
  law with respect to the sale of hand held lasers)
• Advice back to operators

7
Principles that Guide CAA

• data and information is used to identify risks
  and to identify or select ways to mitigate those
  risks
• data and information helps the CAA determine
  responses to risks that are proportionate to the
  nature of the risk or risks
• data and information enable the CAA to determine
  the extent to which the measures or steps it
  takes to mitigate civil aviation safety risks
  have been successful

8
Cont...

• data and information enables the CAA to learn
  how it might change the steps it adopts in order
  to achieve improvements in safety performance
• data and information is managed in a way that
  encourages participants in the civil aviation
  system to fulfil their mandatory reporting
  requirements, and to voluntarily disclose other
  pertinent data and information as is appropriate.

9
Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated!