SMS SUBPART B – SAFETY POLICY

Safety Policy

• The certificate holder must have a safety policy that includes at least:
  • Safety objectives of the certificate holder
  • Organizational commitment to safety, including promoting a positive safety culture
  • Provision of necessary resources for SMS implementation
  • Safety reporting policy, including employee reporting and reporting to the President
  • Policy defining unacceptable behavior and conditions for disciplinary action
  • Emergency response plan for transition from normal to emergency operations and back to normal operations
• The safety policy must be documented, communicated throughout the organization, and signed by the accountable executive
• The safety policy must be regularly reviewed by the accountable executive to ensure it remains relevant and appropriate

Safety Accountability and Authority

• The certificate holder must define accountability for safety within the organization's safety policy for:
  • Accountable executive
  • Management members responsible for SMS processes, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and safety reporting
  • Employees relative to the certificate holder's safety performance
• The certificate holder must identify the levels of management with authority to make decisions regarding safety risk tolerability

Designation and Responsibilities of Required Safety Management Personnel

• The accountable executive is the final authority over operations, controls financial and human resources, and retains ultimate responsibility for safety performance
• Responsibilities of the accountable executive include:
  • Ensuring SMS implementation and performance
  • Developing and signing the safety policy
  • Communicating the safety policy throughout the organization
  • Regularly reviewing the safety policy and addressing substandard safety performance
  • Ensuring notification and reporting of aviation accidents and incidents
  • Promoting a reporting culture
• The safety manager is responsible for:
  • Facilitating hazard identification and safety risk analysis
  • Monitoring safety risk control effectiveness
  • Ensuring safety promotion throughout the organization
  • Reporting to the accountable executive on SMS performance and improvement
  • Monitoring corrective actions and evaluating results
  • Providing periodic reports on organization safety performance
  • Planning and facilitating staff safety training
  • Coordinating and communicating with GACA and other state authorities on safety issues
• Required competencies for the safety manager include:
  • Safety management experience
  • Operational experience related to the service provided
  • Technical background
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Project management skills
  • Understanding of human factors principles
  • Communication skills

Emergency Response Planning

• The emergency response plan must:
  • Address delegation of emergency authority
  • Assign employee responsibilities during the emergency
  • Coordinate with other organizations' emergency response plans
  • Ensure safe continuation of essential operations
  • Identify possible emergency events and mitigation actions
• The emergency response plan must be:
  • Appropriate to the size, nature, and complexity of the organization
  • Readily accessible to relevant personnel
  • Include checklists and procedures for different emergency situations
  • Have quick reference contact details
  • Regularly tested through exercises
  • Periodically reviewed and updated
• Commercial air operators and aerodrome operators must also:
  • Develop and maintain a family assistance plan as part of their emergency response plan
  • Execute their family assistance plan and provide assistance as soon as possible after an aircraft accident
  • Periodically exercise their family assistance plan to ensure effective implementation

Safety Objectives

• The certificate holder must set a safety objective that:
  • Reflects the service provider's commitment to maintaining or improving the overall effectiveness of the SMS
  • Forms the basis for safety performance monitoring and measurement
• The safety objectives must be:
  • Documented and communicated throughout the organization
  • Regularly reviewed by the accountable executive to ensure it remains relevant and appropriate to the organization

This quiz covers the safety policy requirements for certificate holders, including safety objectives, organizational commitment, resource allocation, and safety reporting policies.