International Helicopter Safety Team Safety Management System Toolkit

AN ORGANIZATION’S REPUTATION
• How one pilot performs affects each and every
pilot in that organization.
• Accidents hurt an organizations reputation and
have an effect on acceptability to customers.
Reporting the Errors
That Almost Occurred
The reporting of near errors or near misses will
be treated as “free lessons.” There will be a
“learning outcome” that occurs without the
expense of an accident.
This is to be encouraged and is the duty of every
employee. These “free lessons” will enable us to
develop “safety nets” or corrective actions to help
ensure that the “near miss” never becomes an accident.
A typical disciplinary policy might include
the following statements:
Safe flight/maintenance operations are the organization’s
most important commitment. To ensure
that commitment, it is imperative to have an uninhibited
reporting of all incidents and occurrences
that compromise safety.
Each employee accepts the responsibility to
communicate any information affecting the
integrity of flight safety. Employees must be
assured that this communication will not result in
reprisal, thus allowing a timely, uninhibited flow
of information.
The organization has developed Safety Reports
for employees to use for reporting safety information.
They are designed to protect the identity
of the employee who provides information.
These forms should be readily available in the
work area.
All employees should be urged to use this program
to help the organization continue its leadership in
providing customers and employees with the highest
level of safety. (See the Occurrence & Hazard
I.D. Report form on the page 52.)
A non-punitive approach to discipline does not
preclude the use of a general progressive approach
to discipline in cases where an employee is involved
in similar, recurrent events. This might involve the
following steps:
First offense: Verbal warning
Second offense: Formal written warning
Third offense: Final written warning (may
include suspension)
Fourth offense: Termination.
All employees are advised that the organization will
not initiate disciplinary actions against an employee
who discloses a safety related occurrence. This policy
cannot apply to criminal or intentional infractions.
SMS Toolkit 57