Introduction to Public Hazard Reporting at Airlines & Airports
Sometimes airports or airlines need to allow external stakeholders the ability to submit issues into their aviation safety management software database without giving these stakeholders access to their safety system.
In most cases, users submitting issues belong to the organization with the aviation safety management system. When users are logged in, the aviation safety software (SMS) will allow the airline or airport users to track their submitted issues or hazards. Tracking a user's reported issues is accomplished simply because the reported issues are tied to the user's account id.
Most aviation safety software programs only allow organizational users to submit issues. The scenario is simple: users log into the safety system and report their issue using a predefined report, such as flight safety, maintenance, air traffic control, or a custom report created specifically for the company.
Your company also needs a way for external stakeholders to also submit issues into the aviation safety management system (SMS) database. Keep in mind that external stakeholders can enter (and you should actively encourage this) not only safety types of issues.
You should encourage your external stakeholders to also submit these types of issues:
- Security
- Quality
- Compliance
- Environmental
Purpose of Public Hazard Reporting Module
The Public Issue Reporting Module was designed to allow external stakeholders to submit issues into your SMS database. The Public Issue Reporting Module allows for external stakeholders to submit safety, security, quality, compliance and environmental issues.
These stakeholders may be:
- Customers
- Contractors
- Suppliers/Vendors
- Auditors
- Others parties
Configuring Public Hazard Reporting Module
Configuring your Public Issue Reporting module not difficult. Copy the URL from the browser's address bar where the Public Issue Reporter Module is in your menu. Once you have the URL in your clipboard, we recommend that this long URL becomes easier for users to manage by shortening it with a "URL shortener." Google "URL Shortener," if you need help with this topic.
Send the URL of your public issue reporting module to your website managers so they can put a link on your public website. Your next step is to publish this URL on your company safety posters.
Other places you may publish this URL may be:
- Company brochures
- Magazine articles
- Back of business cards
- Other places you may find useful
External users are not logged into the system when using the Public Issue Reporting Module because they don't have accounts in your aviation SMS software program. Logically, they may not be able to track their reported issues in your aviation safety database. We say "may not." When Public Issue Reporting module users provide an email address in the report, SMS Pro™ may be able to associate the user with a company employee that has an account in your aviation safety software program. SMS Pro™ compares email addresses in the report with all email addresses in the aviation safety software.
Just like the regular reporting, users submitting issues using the Public Issue Reporting Module can remain anonymous by simply not putting in their email and name. However, in the regular issue reporting module, the user must consciously check the box saying "I want to remain anonymous." Anonymous reporting is a highly important element for any modern aviation safety management system in the Western world. In China, the concept of anonymous reporting is not accepted. When an issue is reported, somebody will be responsible, therefore, a name must be supplied.
When users put their name and email address in the safety report, the email and user name are appended to the report's description. This allows safety managers to acquire additional information if the need arises.
More information about the business logic of Public Hazard Reporting in Aviation Safety Management Systems.
More Information on Accident & Incident Reporting
FAA Accident & Incident Data Reports
ASRS - Aviation Safety Reporting System - Basis of SMS Pro's Reporting System
Wikipedia Aviation Accidents & Incidents
NTSB Aviation Accident Database and Incidents