Safety Assurance

 

Safety Assurance describes the on-going monitoring and assessment of a domain’s operational safety performance to identify emerging safety needs before they escalate into a reportable occurrence.

Related ICAO Terms - Self-disclosure Reporting Systems (automatic data capture systems) Annex 6, Part I, Chapter 3

 

Safety Assurrance Matrix

Routine Ops

Expert Analysis

Deep Learning

Industry Driving

Data Collection

Data is collected from internal databases that capture factual operational information (where, when), such as:

- Delays
- Traffic counts
- Production numbers (manufacturers)

To gather direct performance variability causes, data is collected from systems and databases that capture outcome-based information, such as:

- FOQA
- TARP (radar track)

To gather contributing factors to performance variability, data is collected from systems and databases that capture operations monitoring information, such as:

- LOSA
- NOSS (Normal Op. Safety Survey)
- Line operations quality assurance (manufacturers)

Data is collected from multiple sources, such as:

- Internal / external preventative safety programs
Data Analysis

An organization processes rate data to identify performance variability trends by:

- Event type
- Outcome

A domain calculates the probability of an individual hazard leading to an outcome.

An organization processes data to:

- Identify the frequency and rate of direct performance variability causes
- Link direct performance variability causes to the outcome
- Identify the role of a domain in an event
- Begin the identification of risk by aggregating safety assurance data to identify trends

An organization processes data to:

- Identify the frequency and rate of contributing factors
- Link contributing factors to direct performance variability causes and to the event outcome
- Identify quantitative data relationships to develop a detailed risk picture
- Identify qualitative data relationships to improve the understanding of quantitative relationships

An organization processes data to:

- Proactively identify risk pathways through statistical tests
- Identify safety benefits
- Develop corrective actions to address globally trending issues
- Develop and compare safety benchmarks
Data Collaboration

An organization collaborates exclusively within an affected department.

Within an organization the affected department collaborates with another internal department, such as the safety department.

All departments within an organization collaborate among one another.

Organizations within a domain collaborate with another organization in a similar or different domain to address global safety needs (e.g. CAST safety enhancement).

Safety Assurance Examples & Resources

Provided below is a series safety assurance resources. Click any item for additional information and links to relevant resources. 

Featured
Flight Data Analysis – CASA

Australia has developed guidance materials for the development of flight data analysis programs by operators, and for CASA in the assessment of those programs. This document also introduces the utility of flight data analyses and how that information supports safety products.

Data Harmonization – IATA

The exchange of flight data analysis results among industry partners provides stakeholders with an understanding of domain-specific and systemic safety needs. This link provides an example of third party flight data exchange services and the benefits to users. 

Flight Data Analysis – IATA

The individual and aggregate analysis of flight data can provide operators with valuable insight into emerging trends and issues before an accident or incident occurs. This link provides an example of third party flight data analysis services and capabilities.

Brazilian CENIPA

This Accident Prevention Program document contains a section on data analysis. Information in Portuguese.

Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)

CASA provides information on establishing a Flight Data Analysis Program (FDAP) as part of an operator’s safety management system (SMS).

Submit An Example

Click the link above to submit an aviation safety data or information source to be added to the GSIP toolkit.