December 13, 2021

sasadmin

Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) www.sassofia.com considers the key elements to successfully manage Safety Performance Indicators. (SPIs)

Introduction

To ensure effective safety management we need to have a comprehensive picture of our entire organisation from an SMS point of view looking at the following elements:

  • Organizational structures
  • Policies
  • Procedures
  • Processes
  • Staffing Level
  • Equipment
  • Facilities

Carry out a detailed review with consideration of the internal and external interactions

  • This information can then be used to support the building of a risk register type of document. Allowing us to identify the various weaknesses and exposures and to consider our expectations related to our anticipated safety outcomes throughout the system.

Note – Please See SAS Download Area for SMS Evaluation Tool – Effective for assessing the adequacy of your SMS.

Ensure the Following Objectives Are Met:

  • Systemic level:

o All Elements are present, suitable, and effective;

o An acceptable degree of integration;

o Able to engage with core management and operational processes;

o Any weaknesses and vulnerabilities in your organization.

  • Operational level:

o The primary risks in operations that need to be addressed (the things that may cause ‘your next accident’).

Process for defining and reviewing safety performance indicators

Note – The commitment of the Leadership Team is Paramount.

  • Management should:

o Define the aspects of your organization that require measurement and management.

o Commit to a systematic approach to managing those elements.

o Ensure full alignment with both the safety policy and defined safety objectives.

Project Ownership – Critical for SPI Development (SPI Team)

  • Initiation
  • Development
  • Coordination
  • Effective Communication
  • Ensure effective timeline & milestones

Typical competence to include knowledge and exposure to quality & safety systems / principles together with the ability to analyse data. The SPI team to provide support advice / support to the leadership team and process owners.

Note 1 – The Business Area Owners / Nominated Persons remain responsible for the overall delivery including, performance and compliance.

Note 2 – Management to be regularly informed and to assume an active steering role regarding SPI implementation.

Review Safety Policy and Objectives

  • Define indicators for specific operational safety issues

o Bow-tie methodology or similar to identify the safety actions and risk barriers.

o Use hazard identification to consider threats to safety.

o Choose Indicators ensuring relevance and validity.

Determine data needs (Ensure Quality of Data is maintained)

  • Based on reliable and valid data, both qualitative and quantitative.
  • Should also consider information available through the internal audit/compliance monitoring system.
  • Do not go for easy measures – choose important / valid instead:

o Focus on important (to the organisation) measures.

o Develop a broad set of indicators involving key aspects of your system and operations.

o Avoid a narrow (potentially flawed data set).

o For more complete assessment try to measure the same system in several ways to gain a more precise assessment of the actual level of safety performance.

Use Mature Data if possible or aggregated data from Industry Sources as an alternate.

Note – Any delays in compiling data will have a consequential effect on taking necessary safety actions.

Define Indicator Specifications

  • Each SPI should be validated for source and quality of data.
  • Quantitative indicators are preferred:

o Should enable highlighting of trends in safety performance over time.

o Should enable identification of deviations from expected safety outcomes.

  • Qualitative SPIs – reduce subjectivity by involving the expert group.

Note – Indicators for assessing systemic issues may be common to different processes and subsystems, indicators for assessing operational issues will need to be specific.

What Does a Good SPI Look Like?

  • Valid and reliable
  • Sensitive to changes in what it is measuring, and
  • Not susceptible to bias in calculating or interpretation
  • Cost-effective to capture data
  • Easily and accurately communicated.

Next Steps

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Please see www.sassofia.com, www.sofemaonline.com, or email team@sassofia.com for additional details regarding our training services.

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aviation, aviation safety, Safety Management System, safety performance, Safety Objectives, Aviation SMS, SPI, SAS blogs, Safety Performance Indicators, Safety Performance Monitoring