The Most Used Aviation Safety Terms

Audit, Compliance, Conformity, Finding, Hazard, Inspection, Risk assessment, Safety, Safety data, Safety information, Safety management system (SMS), Safety objective, Safety oversight, Safety performance, Safety performance indicator, Safety performance target, Safety risk , State safety programme (SSP), Surveillance, Trigger.

Let us learn more about aviation safety terms, ?

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Audit.

A systematic and objective review of an entity’s operation to verify compliance with aviation regulations, conformity with or adherence to required standards as well as CAA-approved documented policies, processes, and procedures.

Compliance

?The state of meeting those requirements mandated through regulation.

Conformity

The state of meeting established criteria, standards, specifications and desired outcomes

Finding.

A finding is a conclusion by audit personnel that demonstrates either non-compliance with a regulation or non-conformity with a specific standard.

Hazard.

A condition or an object with the potential to cause or contribute to an aircraft accident or incident.

Inspection.

The basic activity of an audit, which involves detailed examination of specific activities, products or services..

Risk assessment.

The analysis of the consequences of the hazards that have been determined as threatening the capabilities of an organization or person(s).

A safety risk analysis uses a conventional breakdown of risk into two components to define the level of safety risk: the probability of occurrence of a damaging event or condition, and then severity of the event or condition, should it occur to define the level of safety risk.

Safety.

The state in which risks associated with aviation activities, related to, or in direct support of the operation of aircraft, are reduced and controlled to an acceptable level.

Safety data.

?A defined set of facts or set of safety values collected from various aviation-related sources, which is used to maintain or improve safety.

Note.— Such safety data is collected from proactive or reactive safety-related activities, including but not limited to:

a) accident or incident investigations;

b) safety reporting;

c) continuing airworthiness reporting;

d) operational performance monitoring;

e) inspections, audits, surveys; or

f) safety studies and reviews.

Safety information.

Safety data processed, organized or analysed in a given context so as to make it useful for safety management purposes.

Safety management system (SMS).

?A systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organizational structures, accountability, responsibilities, policies and procedures.

Safety objective.

A brief, high-level statement of safety achievement or desired outcome to be accomplished by the State safety programme or service provider’s safety management system.

Note.— Safety objectives are developed from the organization’s top safety risks and should be taken into consideration during subsequent development of safety performance indicators and targets.

Safety oversight.

A function performed by a State to ensure that individuals and organizations performing an aviation activity comply with safety-related national laws and regulations.

Safety performance.

A State’s or service provider ?s safety achievement as defined by its safety performance targets and safety performance indicators.

Safety performance indicator.

?A data-based parameter used for monitoring and assessing safety performance.

Safety performance target.

The State or service provider’s planned or intended target for a safety performance indicator over a given period that aligns with the safety objectives.

Safety risk.

The predicted probability and severity of the consequences or outcomes of a hazard.

State safety programme (SSP).

An integrated set of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety.

Surveillance.

The State activities through which the State proactively verifies through inspections and audits that aviation licence, certificate, authorization or approval holders continue to meet the established requirements and function at the level of competency and safety required by the State.

Trigger.

An established level or criteria value for a particular safety performance indicator that serves to initiate an action required, (e.g., an evaluation, adjustment or remedial action)

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*These terms have been defined in ICAO documents.

- ICAO Doc 9859, Safety Management Manual, Fourth Edition, 2018.

- ICAO Doc 10070, Manual on the Competencies of Civil Aviation Safety Inspectors, First Edition, 2016.

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