Tag Archives: Quality Assurance

Management Oversight

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Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Management Oversight

Management Oversight

While executives have ultimate responsibility for risk and safety, it is not always practical for them to know or be aware of all the detail. They typically rely on appointed staff to provide them with reports to satisfy themselves that risk and safety is managed effectively.

An effective SMS Information management solution provides key insight into the risk management system to provide executives with status reports, outstanding actions, alerts and gap analysis.

A dashboard facility is available to bring focus to what needs closer scrutiny. The dashboard is flexible, allowing each individual user to determine the information that is of relevance to them.

Action management highlights actions pending and those overdue. Workflow management provides the ability to route information across the business as appropriate. Escalation management is provided to alert where the management system is not been responded to.

A comprehensive range of standard reports is further complemented with an intuitive report designer, enabling users to create and add to the library reports they find of interest.

All management systems generate reviews of systems, processes, people and risk assessments. These are managed with all relevant staff made aware of their responsibilities.

Intelligence from other sources of information within the business, can be made available in in an effective SMS Information Management solution to get closer to real time risk assessment, test assumptions and further strengthen the management system. An effective SMS Information Management solution must be a very open system, and is designed to share information with other sources of intelligence within an organization.

Change Management

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Sextant Readings Solutions - Change Management

Change Management

It is perfectly feasible to have the same control or barrier deployed to manage several risks. It may be that, in some situations, one control is declared effective in managing one risk but only partially effective in managing another and that is when there is a need for care to be taken.

Where the control is only partially effective, there may be a temptation to adjust or modify it to strengthen it in relation to a particular risk – but in doing so you are unaware of its deployment elsewhere.

To avoid introducing change that fixes one thing but weakens another, an effective SMS Information Management solution provides the ability through control-centric views to determine where else a control is deployed. This provides insight and awareness of what else needs to be considered ahead of any proposed change.

Incident Management

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Incident Management

All risk assessments are based on information available and considered at a particular point in time. As more information becomes available it provides us with the capability to test some of the assumptions made in terms of threats, risks, consequences, barriers and controls.

At the heart of all SMS Information Management solutions is a need to record and learn from incidents and near misses. This allows an investigation of facts and provides the opportunity to take positive actions to lessen future risks.

The SMIS provides the ability to overlay all events, near misses and incidents on the BowTie of the relevant risk, and so provide a visualization of how the risk is being managed and controlled in practice.

An effective SMIS provides the ability to manage incidents and it shares information to provide insight into how robust the management system is. The intelligence that provides this input can be taken from other information sources within the organization.

Risk Lifecycle

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Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Life Cycle

Risk Lifecycle

Risks need to be identified, assessed, treated and managed to a point where the organization is comfortable with their risk exposure. This process needs to be robust to ensure all risks are systematically evaluated, assessed and managed effectively.

The Risk Identification process (HAZID) highlights the risks that need to be addressed. Risks are normally logically grouped and those groups are known and managed as Registers.

The inherent risk (the raw risk with no controls or barriers in place) is assessed and quantified (rated based on pre-defined criteria) before being reviewed against a risk matrix.

The placement of the quantified risk on the matrix will determine if the risk is acceptable, needs treated or is unacceptable. If risks are deemed unacceptable, senior executives need to be informed and a value judgment must be made as to whether operations can continue.

Quantification can be from a single perspective or multi-perspective (looking at the risk from a number of viewpoints – environment, people, reputation, profit, etc.)

Risks in need of treatment generate actions to identify and put in place adequate controls and barriers. Those actions are distributed and managed until conclusion.

Once controls or barriers have been put in place the risk is once again quantified to determine if further work is required.

The effectiveness of each control or barrier can be assessed, highlighting the need for additional controls where their effectiveness in isolation is deemed partial or ineffective.

A risk can be considered acceptable but the organization may choose to take additional actions to lower the risk further. This is managed as a target quantification.

The Risk Lifecycle is managed in a way that is simply not possible with spreadsheets.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Control visualization

Gap Analysis

Managing risk with spreadsheets lets you manage what you have in place.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Gap Analysis

However, managing risk provides the same benefits, but also lets you manage what you don’t have in place. And it’s what you don’t have in place that often hurts an organization.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Visualization shows gaps

The visual representation of risks quickly highlights where there is exposure, where there are missing controls and where situations are not being managed effectively.

A risk management solution provides insight into gaps in the risk management system, and aims to alert the appropriate people to accept the situation or do something about it. The solution also provides alerts of risks, controls and actions not being owned or managed to enable appropriate action to address and rectify.

Sextant Readings Solutions - Risk Alerts

Spreadsheets provide no insight as to what is not in place and fail to make intelligent use of the data they contain.

Changing the culture of established organizations to enhance safety and risk management

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The challenge in changing the culture of an established organization, as Tom Howell comments in the LinkedIn group America’s Aviation Safety Management Solutions Forum, is possible but only with focus from the top. Quite often change at the top enables change management across the organization. When there are no management-change reason to trigger a change in culture to make focus on safety as the core, all too often the trigger is a major accident or event.
Change after an event is too late, as we know and reactive change can have seriously detrimental effects on the organization, the people and all stakeholders.
Somehow, – whether it is the company Board of Directors, peer pressure, associations or the enlightened hiring of strong, focused personnel into the safety role – something needs to trigger change to focus on predictive risk as a foundation for company survival. The economic interests of the company and its stakeholders are at risk unless the change is made in the management of the business based on professionalism and safety.

 

Sextant Readings Solutions – aviation professionals with focus on Compliance, Quality Management and Quality Assurance, Safety and Risk Management for the Aviation Industry, is an IS-BAO Support Services Affiliate and IS-BAO safety consultant and Auditor

Norcal Business Aviation Association (NCBAA) Safety Day Event in San Jose May 2 featured Dr Tony Kern on Professionalism in Aviation

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Dr. Tony Kern is the CEO of Convergent Performance; a small, veteran owned “think tank” formed in 2004 and dedicated to reducing human error and improving performance in high risk environments such as aviation,military, healthcare and firefighting. Tony is one of the world’s leading authorities on human performance, has lectured on the subjects of applied human factors and performance improvement for nearly two decades, and is the author of seven books on the subject’

The Norcal Business Aviation Association (NCBAA) members were presented to a day of discussion about Professionalism in Aviation with topics like :

  • The Readiness Equation
  • The Baseline of Readiness: The Mind-Body Link
  • Lifelong Readiness: Continuous Improvement and Deliberate Practice
  • Level III Professionalism

We highly recommend Dr. Tony Kern’s insights for all aviation professionals

 

Sextant Readings Solutions – aviation professionals with focus on Compliance, Quality Management and Quality Assurance, Safety and Risk Management for the Aviation Industry, is an IS-BAO Support Services Affiliate and IS-BAO safety consultant and Auditor

Good new book on the dangers of bureaucratization of your SMS. Reviewed by Rick Darby representing Flight Safety Foundation and Aerosafety World

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 Proceed With Caution

Is over-specification of procedures a potential safety hazard?

BY RICK DARBY representing Flight Safety Foundation and AeroSafety World

A Never-Ending Story

Trapping Safety into Rules: How Desirable or Avoidable is Proceduralization?

Bieder, Corrine; Bourrier, Mathilde (editors). Farnham, Surrey, England and Burlington, Vermont, U.S: Ashgate, 2013. 300 pp. Figures, tables, references, index.

Trapping Safety into Rules — there is a title as provocative as you are likely to see this year in books aimed at aviation safety professionals.

No one needs a definition of rules. Bieder and Bourrier describe “proceduralization” as “firstly, the aim of defining precise and quantified safety objectives, and secondly, the aim of defining a process, describing and prescribing at the same time how to achieve such objectives.” Unfortunately, “these two aspects are usually not defined by the same entity. Some inconsistencies may even exist between the two types of procedures.”

Questioning the role of rules and proceduralization goes to the heart of commercial aviation, one of the most heavily rule-bound industries. Almost every aspect of the industry is covered by regulations (a subset of rules), standard operating procedures, standards and best practices. Accident investigation reports usually conclude with recommendations for new regulations and procedures.

The remarkable safety record of the industry is due in large part to effective procedures. They are the result of lessons learned from accidents and incidents, as well as research and predictive analysis.

More………….

Business Aviation Safety Seminar (BASS) sponsored by Flight Safety Foundation and NBAA is one of the best safety forums for Business and Charter Aviation

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Sextant Readings Solutions.

I attended the 2013 Business Aviation Safety Seminar (BASS) in Montreal last week (formerly CASS).

The session was well presented from a safety perspective but more importantly to my view was the level of commitment and adoption from an aviation sector that is not subject to the 14 CFR Part 5 rule that will affect Part 121 operators this year. The sector is demonstrating aviation safety management  leadership in the adoption of SMS concepts, practices, and principles.

We heard many discussions regarding Quality Management, Quality Assurance, safety assurance, charter aviation safety, helicopter safety management, and compliance issues and solutions.

I highly recommend you attend next year

NetJets is the First and Only Private Aviation Company to Achieve Level IV of the FAA’s Safety Management System Pilot Program

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NetJets® Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company and the worldwide leader in private aviation, announced today that the company achieved a new safety milestone in entering Level IV of the FAA’s Safety Management System (SMS) Pilot Program.

“The achievement of SMS Level IV underscores NetJets’ commitment to safety and enhances NetJets’ overall compliance-plus aviation safety management system,” said Shane Eyer, president of NetJets Aviation. “NetJets is dedicated to providing the most stringent operational, maintenance and training procedures in the industry and we are proud to reach this important safety milestone.”

NetJets is the first and only private aviation company to achieve Level IV as well as the first fixed-wing 14 CFR 135 operator and the first combined 14 CFR 135 / 91K operator to enter this level.

The FAA Safety Management System Pilot Program provides a four-level system to acknowledge development of a formal SMS according to FAA expectations and international standards. The overall objective of the program is to guide operators with developing and implementing an integrated, comprehensive Safety Management System for their organization. To accomplish this safety milestone, NetJets conducted thousands of hours of additional safety training for its employee group, along with the creation of new management review procedures to ensure the highest levels of safety are always maintained.

When it comes to safety, NetJets never compromises. NetJets’ safety standards meet and in most cases exceed FAA regulatory requirements. From NetJets’ FAA-type-rated pilots for every aircraft type, dual-release system, biannual simulator sessions, superior flight attendant training, FAA-approved in-house meteorologists, international flight planners to the state-of-the-art aircraft and FAA Diamond award winning maintenance program, NetJets leads the industry in every aspect of flight safety.

About NetJets® Inc.

NetJets® Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway® company, is the worldwide leader in private aviation with the largest and most diverse private jet fleet in the world. NetJets began in 1964 as the first aircraft charter and management company in the world. In 1986, NetJets pioneered the concept of fractional aircraft ownership – offering individuals and businesses all of the benefits of whole aircraft ownership and more, at a fraction of the cost. Today, NetJets offers a full range of private aviation solutions through its fractional programs in North America and Europe, including NetJets Shares, NetJets Leases and the Marquis Jet Card®, which provides access to NetJets though a 25-hour jet card. The North America program is managed and operated by NetJets’ subsidiary NetJets Aviation, Inc., and the European program is managed and operated by NetJets Transportes Aéreos, SA, a Portuguese/EU Air Carrier. In the United States, NetJets also offers aircraft management and on-demand charter services through its subsidiary, Executive Jet® Management, Inc. The NetJets companies offer worldwide flight operations. More information on NetJets, NetJets Europe, the Marquis Jet Card, and Executive Jet Management is available at www.netjets.com .

Bristow Group Announces Major New Search And Rescue Contract Award In The United Kingdom

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Bristow has a 36-year history of providing UK Search and Rescue services – Employment opportunities anticipated for the UK workforce in facilities, aircraft manufacture, and operations – Contract expected to generate approximately $2.5 billion in revenue

HOUSTON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Bristow Group Inc. the leading provider of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry, announced today that The Department for Transport in the United Kingdom has awarded its UK affiliate Bristow Helicopters Limited (Bristow Helicopters) a new contract to provide civilian Search and Rescue (SAR) services for all of the UK. The SAR services contract has a phased-in transition period beginning in April 2015 and continuing to July 2017 and a contract length of approximately ten years.

Under the terms of this contract, Bristow Helicopters will provide 11 Sikorsky S-92 and 11 AgustaWestland AW189 helicopters that will be located at ten bases across the UK. Each SAR base will operate either two S-92s or two AW189s. In addition to the ten bases with 20 aircraft, there will be two fully SAR-equipped training aircraft that can be deployed to any base as needed.

William E. Chiles, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are honored that our affiliate Bristow Helicopters was selected by The Department for Transport to provide this vital service for the people of the United Kingdom. This award will employ 22 of the world’s most technologically advanced and safest helicopters which will dramatically improve the capability to save lives and significantly reduce the UK Government’s costs for the next decade. It is planned that some of the military personnel currently involved in SAR in the UK will join Bristow Helicopters to work under this contract, and we look forward to welcoming them into the Bristow family.”

In early 2012, Bristow Helicopters was awarded a Gap SAR services contract that commences in July 2013, utilizing four, latest technology S-92 helicopters based in Scotland at Stornoway and Sumburgh. The Gap SAR contract is expected to run for about four years until transition occurs for these two bases to the new longer-term contract announced today.

Mike Imlach, Bristow Helicopters Managing Director, said, “Bristow Helicopters has a proven reputation for exceptional UK search and rescue services, having performed such services over 36 years with world-class operations that included unmatched flight safety performance, extensive aircrew training, first class maintenance facilities, supply-chain partners, and project procurement and contract management. Affiliates of Bristow Group Inc. currently operate similar search and rescue services in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Dutch Antilles, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, and Trinidad.”

Under the terms of this new SAR contract, Bristow Helicopters currently anticipates earning approximately $2.5 billion in revenue. Jonathan Baliff, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, added, “We believe that these contract terms and conditions are transformative from an operational and financial standpoint for our company. The number of helicopters operated, combined with the revenue and earnings generated under this contract, will create both a larger and lower risk company going forward.”

“The total capital requirement for this project is expected to be approximately $1 billion, much of which is dedicated to the acquisition of 22 of the most technologically advanced, SAR-equipped S-92 and AW189 helicopters ever built. We believe that the financing plan based on our company’s capital strength was an important criterion for the selection of Bristow Helicopters to provide this life saving service which requires a high level of safety and on-time reliability, and at higher service levels and lower cost than previously anticipated by the UK government. We are confident that Bristow Helicopters will provide excellent rescue services to the people of the United Kingdom.”

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements contained in this news release that state Bristow’s or management’s intentions, expectations or predictions of the future – including its ability to complete and fund the above-referenced SAR services, the timing for beginning the SAR services, expected revenue generation and whether the SAR services will be beneficial to Bristow’s operations are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statement as result of unanticipated circumstances including but not limited to termination of the contract by the Department or higher costs. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is contained from time to time in Bristow’s SEC filings, including but not limited to Bristow’s annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Bristow Group Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

ABOUT BRISTOW GROUP INC. Bristow Group Inc. is the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on the number of aircraft operated and one of two helicopter service providers to the offshore energy industry with global operations. The Company has major transportation operations in the North Sea, Nigeria and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Trinidad. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.bristowgroup.com.

        Contact: Linda McNeill
                 Bristow Group Inc.
                 (713) 267-7622

Bristow Group is has a long history of supporting Helicopter and rotor safety, compliance, safety assurance, quality management, and safety integration.  As an active member of Helicopter Association International (HAI Safety) and promotes Helicopter Safety Management to the industry