Sofema Aviation Services considers the process of SMS Risk Assessment & Root Cause Analysis.
Aviation SMS training: Risk Assessment & Root Cause Analysis Introduction
Which elements related to our aviation SMS to consider?
a) Risk Assessment
b) Root Cause Analysis
What is our Goal?
i) review the current status
ii) deliver an appraisal with the intention of determining any appropriate recommendations
Risk Assessment
To achieve effective Risk Assessment we must first have a process to identify and report on hazards. So the first measure of our process is to consider how the hazard reporting system is working.
For each business Area consider the following:
1/ Are hazards freely reported?
2/ Are the number of Hazards reported representative of the perceived level of hazard exposure?
3/ Is there an effective voluntary hazard reporting system evident and functional?
4/ Is an effective feedback system evident to ensure that outcomes are fed back to the originator (closed loop)?
- Flight Deck
- Cabin Crew
- Flight Operations
- Ground Operations
- Maintenance
- Security
- Training
- Cargo
Next we need to have an acceptable method of filtering and determining the associated risk which is perceived to be present in respect of each of the hazards which are identified.
So for each person who is required to fulfil a role consider the following:
1/ Is there a procedure / process which is adequately document?
2/ Who is responsible for this procedure and how is it assessed as acceptable?
3/ What training is required to perform this function – Competence Assessment?
4/ How is this training delivered?
5/ How is the effectiveness of the training managed?
So now we have a risk that has been filtered and is found to pose a threat to the organisation, the threat may of course been small, intermediate or significant.
We may also consider that we may have systemic issues in respect that a small issue appearing multiple times has additional gravity.
Root Cause Analysis Aviation
Who is going to do this?
What templates are available to support the process?
What training do we deliver within the organisation to ensure that process and business area managers have the necessary understanding and competency to deliver effective RCA?
How do we maintain consistency and endeavour to remove subjectivity from the process?
Consider the following as beneficial when considering Root Cause Analysis:
1/ Specific training in respect of the organisations Root Cause Analysis (RCA) processes
2/ Organisation guidance material to facilitate effective deliberation (for example Fishbone Framework)
3/ Group analysis is beneficial to remove subjectivity with group sizes or 3 to 4 typically being shown to be effective
Next Steps
Follow this link to our Library to find & Download related support documents.
Note – Sofema Aviation Services offers the aviation sms training online providing an understanding of how to identify hazards within the workplace and to evaluate these hazards to produce a risk assessment:
For additional questions or to register please email team@sassofia.com
Tags:
aviation, aviation safety, Human Factors, Risk Assessment, Root Cause Analysis, SMS, Aviation SMS, SAS blogs
