SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TRAINING/CONSULTING

 

The Aviation Consulting Group provides Safety Management Systems (SMS) training and consulting for aviation operators worldwide. Although SMS is not currently mandatory in the United States this will change shortly. The latest word from the FAA is that an NPRM will be on the table very soon with a regulation to be in place shortly thereafter. Worldwide, many countries have already implemented, or are in the process of phasing in, an SMS. No matter the location, all countries signatory to ICAO will be required to have a functional SMS in the very near future. Virtually all aviation operators will be affected by this new rule. This includes, but is not limited to:   Airports Airlines Part 135 Operators Business and Corporate Aviation Operators Air Traffic Control Facilities Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities Pilots Training Schools Manufacturers   How Can we Help?       TACG realizes that a one-size-fits-all approach to SMS will not be effective. Therefore we offer a few options to assist you in the implementation of your organization's SMS. These options include the following:   SMS 3-day training courses offered on a scheduled basis at our location (scroll down to see upcoming courses at our location) or on request at your location at a time that is convenient for you. This course provides you with the basic tools and knowledge to implement your organization's SMS.    SMS consulting at your location to assist you with the seamless implementation of your SMS. Consulting options can be negotiated by the day, week or month. We can provide as much or as little assistance as you require.   Blended training and consulting. In this case we can offer a plan that includes both training and onsite consulting. Many companies choose this option. Again, we can provide as much or as little assistance as you require.   Safety Culture Assessment       TACG offers stand-alone or integrated assessments of organizations' safety cultures. The stand-alone option can be conducted at any time and is a quick and efficient method to collect data regarding your current safety culture. The integrated option can literally be the starting point of the implementation of your organization's SMS.       The safety culture assessment is conducted by use of a simple survey. We use our proprietary Safety Culture Assessment Tool (SCAT) to gather employee attitudes related to such constructs as Norms, Complacency, Fatigue, Communication, and Teamwork. Once these data are collected they are then analyzed and the results are written up in a succinct and clear manner. The SCAT results can then be used to understand the current health of your organization's safety culture. Types of cultures can range from pathogenic (who cares about safety) to generative (safety is how we do business around here) or somewhere in between.       A healthy culture is so important these days that the NTSB incorporates a "corporate culture checklist" as part of its accident investigation process. The checklist was developed to address the potential organizational influences of accidents and incidents. In other words, if you have an accident and the NTSB conducts an investigation, your organization will absolutely be required to answer questions related to your safety culture. To put the importance of culture into context consider the following:   In 1991, Continental Express Flight 2574, an Embraer 120, crashed after an in-flight structural breakup. All onboard were fatally injured. See picture of the horizontal stabilizer below. The NTSB report issued the Probable Cause as follows:   The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable causes of this accident were (1) the failure of Continental Express management to establish a corporate culture which encouraged and enforced adherence to approved maintenance and quality assurance procedures, and (2) the consequent string of failures by Continental Express maintenance and inspection personnel to follow approved procedures for the replacement of the horizontal stabilizer deice boots. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate surveillance by the FAA of the Continental Express maintenance and quality assurance programs.     Courses Offered   SMS Course (3 Days)   COURSE NAME: Safety Management Systems WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Safety managers, QA people, or anyone interested in developing, or increasing their knowledge of, Safety Management Systems. We highly encourage people from other industries to attend this course as the fundamental principles are very exportable to other domains.   COURSE DURATION: 24.0 hrs. (3 days) TIME: 8:00am-5:00pm (includes a one hour break for lunch) WHAT TO BRING: Laptop computer with Adobe Acrobat, WORD and PowerPoint WHAT TO WEAR: Casual LOCATION: Scroll down to view our scheduled courses. Course can also be conducted at customer location. FEE: Click here to request a quote for courses at your location or ours INCLUDED IN COURSE:   - Coursebook   - SMS Manual Template (to help create your own manual)   - Handouts   - Certificate of Training COURSE TOPICS:   - Introduction to Safety Management Systems   - Policy   - Human Error Management in System Safety   - Safety Risk Management     - High-Risk Breakout Topic (Fatigue)   - High-Risk Breakout Topic (Shift Turnover)   - Safety Assurance and Internal Evaluation   - Breakout Topic (Error Reporting Systems and Error/Event Investigation)   - Safety Promotion   - Breakout Topic (Corporate/Safety Culture)   - Human Factors in Safety Management Systems         - GAP Analysis   - Making the SMS Manual Yours   - Numerous Case Studies and Exercises

Experience Makes the Difference        When it comes to assistance with something as potentially complex as SMS, you really need people with the right experience and qualifications. TACG prides itself on meeting these criteria. In fact, company president Dr. Robert Baron has invested many years of his time and personal money acquiring a Ph.D in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. This was not just a random degree specialization but instead a proactive choice by Dr. Baron in order to understand how organizations function and behave in the practical aviation environment.       One of the most important aspects of SMS will be the creation and/or fostering of a healthy safety culture. Dr. Baron has extensively studied and researched safety culture and safety climate (i.e., developed the Safety Culture Assessment Tool [SCAT], and dissertation topic was on measuring safety climate at an aircraft maintenance facility). Dr. Baron's other two degrees are also specifically focused on aviation safety management and human factors (full bio here). Additionally, Dr. Baron is always hands-on in the practical environment working with aviation operators worldwide.         TACG's staff consultants are also very experienced from an academic and practical standpoint. These are not just people who are between jobs looking for some extra money. They are true professionals who are committed and ready to assist our extensive worldwide client base.