How can you improve safety reporting culture?

1 Define clear policies and procedures

The first step to improve safety reporting culture is to establish clear and consistent policies and procedures for reporting, investigating, and resolving safety issues. These should be aligned with the international standards and best practices, such as the ICAO Annex 19 and the Safety Management System (SMS) framework. The policies and procedures should define the roles and responsibilities of the staff, the types and categories of reports, the reporting channels and tools, the confidentiality and protection measures, and the feedback and follow-up mechanisms.

2 Communicate and educate

The second step to improve safety reporting culture is to communicate and educate the staff about the importance, benefits, and expectations of safety reporting. This can be done through various methods, such as newsletters, posters, flyers, videos, webinars, workshops, and meetings. The communication and education should emphasize the positive outcomes of safety reporting, such as learning from mistakes, preventing accidents, improving performance, and enhancing reputation. It should also address the common barriers and challenges, such as fear of blame, lack of trust, time pressure, and workload.

3 Encourage and reward

The third step to improve safety reporting culture is to encourage and reward the staff for reporting safety issues, hazards, and incidents. This can be done through various incentives, such as recognition, appreciation, feedback, awards, prizes, bonuses, and promotions. The encouragement and reward should be based on the quality, quantity, and timeliness of the reports, not on the outcomes or consequences. It should also be fair, transparent, and consistent across the organization.

4 Analyze and act

The fourth step to improve safety reporting culture is to analyze and act on the reports received from the staff. This can be done through various methods, such as data collection, classification, verification, validation, prioritization, investigation, and root cause analysis. The analysis and action should be aimed at identifying and addressing the underlying causes and contributing factors of the safety issues, hazards, and incidents, not at finding fault or assigning blame. It should also be timely, effective, and efficient.

5 Monitor and evaluate

The fifth step to improve safety reporting culture is to monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the safety reporting system. This can be done through various indicators, such as the number, rate, and type of reports, the response time and quality of feedback, the implementation rate and impact of corrective actions, and the satisfaction and perception of the staff. The monitoring and evaluation should be based on the established goals, objectives, and standards of the safety reporting system. It should also be regular, systematic, and continuous.

6 Improve and innovate

The sixth step to improve safety reporting culture is to improve and innovate the safety reporting system based on the results of the monitoring and evaluation. This can be done through various actions, such as reviewing and updating the policies and procedures, enhancing and simplifying the reporting channels and tools, increasing and diversifying the communication and education methods, adjusting and expanding the encouragement and reward schemes, and adopting and implementing the best practices and lessons learned from other airports and industries. The improvement and innovation should be aimed at increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of the safety reporting system. It should also be adaptive, responsive, and collaborative.