In order to support organisations in their implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS), the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team (ECAST) issued today best practice material for industry and civil aviation authorities.
This material is the result of the work of the ECAST Working Group on Safety Management Systems and Safety Culture. Its aim is to help stakeholders to meet ICAO standards and future rules of the European Aviation Safety Agency for Authority and Organisation Requirements, Part Organisation*.
The ECAST work focused on four main areas, where guidance was considered as most useful:
- Review of reference material and safety culture, providing an overview of current SMS initiatives and guidance on the concept of safety culture, considered as an enabler of SMS;
- Organisational structures, offering guiding principles and examples of organisational structures suitable for SMS implementation;
- Hazards Identification, providing concise and useful material and references on definitions (hazard, risk, etc.), and on hazards identification processes, methods, and techniques;
- Risk Assessment, presenting a suitable risk assessment method (Airline Risk Management Solutions - ARMS) for air operators and other organisations such as maintenance and Air Navigation Service Providers.
These documents can be freely downloaded from easa.europa.eu/essi/ECAST_SMS.htm. They have also been published on www.skybrary.aero
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ECAST was created in 2006 as one of the three components of the European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI). It brings together over sixty European and international organisations, including manufacturers, airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and civil aviation authorities. It is co-chaired by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency.
ESSI is an aviation safety partnership between the European Aviation Safety Agency, other regulators and industry with the objective to further enhance safety for citizens in Europe and worldwide. The other two components of ESSI are the European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST) and the European General Aviation Safety Team (EGAST). For more information on ESSI click here.
Disclaimer:
It is emphasised that this best practice material has no legal status: it is neither Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) nor Guidance Material (GM) but was developed to support the industry in meeting future regulatory requirements. As the final content of the legal requirements regarding SMS is still to be determined it may be necessary to substantially adjust the related support material when the final wording is decided.
The European Aviation Safety Agency hosts the ECAST best practice material on Safety Management Systems on the Agency’s web-domain for information purposes only. Ultimately it is ECAST that is responsible for the contents and the Agency makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the content. To the extent permitted by law, the Agency shall not be liable for any kind of damages or other claims or demands incurred as a result of incorrect, insufficient or invalid data, or arising out of or in connection with the use, copying, or display of the best practice material. The information contained in the best practice material should in no case be construed as legal advice.
Dr. Daniel Höltgen, Communications Manager
Tel.: + 49 (221) 89990 2002 - Fax: + 49 (221) 89990 2502Savina Zakoula-Cherdron, Press Officer
Tel.: + 49 (221) 89990 2008 Fax: + 49 (221) 89990 2508