SMS Perspectives

A message on safety management that is periodically e-mailed to Aviation.Org subscribers.

SMS Perspectives dated May 12, 2013

The Safety Officers Role.
The safety officer function has long existed in flight organizations of all types. Now, of course, it is a required position in a
formal SMS organization and may also be a regulatory requirement. Normally the safety officers duties are in addition to
other job responsibilities. It is not unusual for the safety officer to be a line pilot who takes on these collateral responsibilities.
However, the assignment could also fall to another operations person.
Unfortunately, in some cases a junior pilot is designated as safety officer to check the compliance box, a clear indication that
management support for the safety program is lacking. Without support, this assignment can be difficult for a person with
limited standing in the organization, however eager and qualified as a pilot.
The desired goal is to strengthen the organization by managing accident prevention effectively. Armed with aviation
knowledge, strong technical skills and operational experience, the ideal safety officer will command respect and, in addition,
will have a tactful and diplomatic nature in order to relate with people at all levels of the organization. These abilities go a long
way in ensuring a viable program and management support on an ongoing basis.
The safety officer has the opportunity to have a major, positive impact on the companys day-to-day operations and long term
performance. At the risk of over simplification, the most important duties include:
* Interaction with department heads, training personnel, maintenance and service personnel, flight crews, cabin crews,
dispatchers, etc.
* Administering the safety audits
* Conducting safety surveys and interviews
* Managing the risk management and internal reporting systems
* Recommending corrective actions and monitoring progress
* Communicating issues and results companywide
Of course, there will be many variations in the manner results are accomplished due to the type of flight operations conducted.
The challenge is to maintain (or create) a healthy safety culture where information is actively sought, where new ideas are
welcomed, where responsibility is shared and where undesirable conditions lead to inquiry and reform. As stated before in this
forum, gathering information is not enough. Intentions must be transformed into action for lasting change to be realized, and
that's the safety officer's ultimate leadership challenge.
--Bob Jenney (rmj@aviation.org)