What is Safety Risk Management - With Free Resources

What is Safety Risk Management?

Safety Risk Management focuses on hazard identification and the safety risk management process.

Objective of Safety Risk Management

Aviation service providers must ensure that risks surrounding their operations are controlled. Otherwise, these operators will not stay in business for very long. They will either lose their certificate or customers due to poor risk management activities. Included strongly in safety risk management is documentation!

Safety risk management activities include:

  • Hazard identification;
  • Risk assessment (probability and severity of risk scenarios); and
  • Implementation and documentation of control measures.

Hazard identification begins with an understanding of "processes and systems" that the aviation service provider is exposed to. Related processes and systems may include, but are not limited to:

  • Equipment;
  • Human interfaces;
  • Regulatory pressures;
  • Client interactions; and
  • Equipment.

Understanding the related systems are critical in performing activities related to safety risk management. This is not an area to be managed by simply the safety team, but by subject matter experts, namely the department heads who assume responsibility for these systems. A "system description" becomes an invaluable starting point for starting the hazard identification process.

Hazard identification and review of identified hazards must become a routine activity performed and updated by your subject matter experts. When risk becomes intolerable, or new activities require a change in operations, a formal "management of change" process must be initiated and well documented.

Software Tools to Manage Safety Risk Management Activities

Safety management system (SMS) databases provide tools to save safety managers time and money, while also easing the "documentation burden."

Whether your aviation risk management database starts with a simple hazard reporting tool, or a very sophisticated and complete SMS database, you still need to ensure your program offers a secure, scalable, user-friendly method to document and retrieve critical information.

SMS Pro has the best Web-based tools to help aviation service providers conduct risk management activities.

Free Safety Risk Management Downloads

These selected resources help aviation safety professionals understand and document required safety risk management activities. Feel free to share or distribute as you wish.
Looking for Other Aviation SMS Software Tools?