Sustaining Safety: A Call to Action
In aviation, safety is a non-negotiable priority. But how do we ensure that safety isn't just a priority on paper—something that gets mentioned in training, displayed on posters, and referred to during occasional meetings—but is instead woven into the very fabric of our operations?
We know that maintaining a safe workplace is not just about putting policies in place, but about sustaining a culture of safety over time. This requires continuous effort and leadership, not a once-off initiative. If aviation executives want to lead a sustainable safety culture, it’s time to revisit Dr. James Reason's five characteristics of safety culture: Informed, Reporting, Just, Learning, and Flexible. These traits serve as a critical framework for embedding safety in the day-to-day operations of your organization, and they provide a roadmap for the meaningful changes that can move your safety culture from good to truly great.
Informed: Knowledge is Power
A well-informed team is a safe team. For safety to be sustainable, it cannot be a vague concept or something left to chance. Executives must ensure that employees at every level of the organization understand the safety policies, why they exist, and how they contribute to the overall safety culture.
Challenge: How does your organization communicate safety? Are your teams aware of the key safety policies and procedures? Are they clear on how their day-to-day actions impact safety?
Action: Regularly reinforce safety messaging in operational meetings, training sessions, and through visible leadership. Leaders should take time to ensure the safety policies are not only understood but are also integrated into workflows and operational practices.
Reporting: Empowering Voices
A sustainable safety culture thrives on open and honest communication. Safety issues, near-misses, or potential risks must be reported promptly to prevent incidents before they occur. A lack of reporting can create blind spots and lead to safety failures.
Challenge: Do your employees feel empowered to report safety concerns? Is there a non-punitive reporting culture that encourages honesty and openness?
Action: Create and reinforce a safe reporting environment. Train employees on how to report incidents and offer assurances that reports will lead to solutions, not punishment. Collect and analyze these reports regularly to drive real change.
Just: A Fair and Transparent Process
A just safety culture is one where mistakes are treated as opportunities for learning, rather than occasions for blame. In aviation, where the stakes are high, a culture of justice ensures that safety incidents are addressed transparently and fairly, with a focus on improvement.
Challenge: Does your organization respond to safety incidents in a way that fosters trust and accountability, or does it punish mistakes?
Action: Develop a clear, transparent process for investigating safety incidents. Focus on identifying root causes, not blaming individuals. Encourage employees to view safety concerns as shared responsibilities where everyone’s input can help improve outcomes.
Learning: Continuous Improvement
Safety is not static. It requires ongoing learning and adaptation to stay relevant and effective. A sustainable safety culture is one that continuously evolves, learning from incidents, near-misses, audits, and industry best practices.
Challenge: Is your organization truly learning from past safety incidents? Do you analyze near-misses and adjust your policies to prevent future occurrences?
Action: Implement systems to track lessons learned from safety incidents and near-misses. Create feedback loops where the lessons learned are shared across the organization, leading to tangible changes in policies or procedures.
Flexible: Adapting to Change
The aviation landscape is constantly evolving. Whether it's new regulations, new technologies, or new risks, a sustainable safety culture must be flexible enough to adjust when necessary. Flexibility means being able to pivot and adapt when new information or conditions arise.
Challenge: How adaptable is your organization in response to new risks, regulations, or safety insights?
Action: Build flexibility into your safety processes. Encourage innovation in safety practices, allow for adjustments to procedures when new information arises, and involve employees in the process of adapting safety measures to meet changing needs.
To help you take action and begin the process of creating a sustainable safety culture, we’ve provided a free downloadable worksheet that you can use during discussions with your management or safety team. This resource will guide you through evaluating where your organization stands in each of Dr. James Reason’s five characteristics of safety culture and help you identify actionable steps to move the needle. If you’d like further assistance in creating a plan to drive meaningful and lasting safety culture change, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you make safety a truly sustainable priority within your organization.
Currie Russell, A.A.E.
President