The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

Philosophy of the SMP
9.72
9.73
Chapter 9 – Background to Safety Cases
The SMP’s philosophy was that the overall safety of the platform was to be demonstrated through a Safety Case,
detailing the necessary supporting evidence and providing a sound argument as to how safety requirements had
been met. Where hazards were identified, they were to be managed to a level at which they were deemed to
be ALARP. 107 To ensure that valid operating assumptions were made when assessing hazards, Service Operating
Branch (SOB) representatives would be called upon as part of the Platform Safety Working Group (PSWG).
Additionally, the following would be consulted at the hazard identification stage: (a) IPT members with SOB
experience; (b) the Nimrod Aircraft Engineering Development and Investigating Team (NAEDIT) for maintenance
aspects; and (c) Aircraft and Programmes and Airworthiness (APA) staff for operational aspects. 108
Annex A to the SMP set out the SMP safety organisation, describing the safety roles and responsibilities of the
key personnel/bodies, including the following:
9.73.1 IPTL: The IPTL’s responsibilities included (amongst others) the production of the SMP, maintenance of
the NSC (including the Hazard Log), the management and identification of the necessary competence
within the IPT and an audit regime. The IPTL also assumed the responsibilities of the Project Engineer
(PE).
9.73.2 Head of Air Vehicle Branch (Nim(ES)Av): Nim(ES)Av’s responsibilities included acting as a “Safety Advisor”
to the IPT, advising the IPTL on safety matters (as appropriate), chairing the Aircraft Safety Reviews (see
below), ownership of the NSC and Hazard Log and identifying the safety evidence necessary to support
the Nimrod air vehicle from equipment suppliers (Contractors and other IPTs), and setting appropriate
safety requirements.
9.73.3 Safety Manager (Nim(ES)Av(S)): Although not an airworthiness Letter of Delegation (LOD) holder,
NIM(ES)Av was to play a role in the efficacy of the Safety Management System (SMS), primarily through
interfacing with equipment contractors.
9.73.4 Independent Safety Assessors (ISA): ISAs were to be appointed, where necessary, as identified by the
PSWG. QinetiQ was included in the approved list of ISAs. The SMP referred to the guidance given in
Def-Stan 00-56 and stated that an ISA should be “strongly considered”, inter alia, to assess complex
safety evidence provided by a contractor for a product.
107 Nimrod SMP, paragraph 8.
108 Ibid, paragraph 13.
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