“Create an environment where people feel secure”

Our global aviation industry has never been safer than it is today, says Paul Salerno, CEO of Omni Air Group. But there's still much work to be done. Driving this quest for the highest levels of aviation safety are safety management systems - SMS for short. SMS is a top-down, leadership-driven approach to managing organizational safety. It's based on system safety doctrine, which teaches us that safety attributes must be built into every operational process in order to assure successful process outputs. It also teaches us that human error is ubiquitous. And since humans design, build, manage, and operate these systems, we need feedback from front-line workers to analyze the technical, human and organizational factors that enable errors, in order to develop systems that are both error-resistant and error-tolerant.

Here in the US, our Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is driving this modern method of aviation safety management with their 14 CFR Part 5 regulation for airlines and SMS Voluntary Program (SMSVP) for smaller operators. FAA standards are the highest aviation safety standard in the world, and for many smaller companies, conformance with these requirements is a challenge.

Omni's vision is to help these aviation companies avoid accidents and conform to FAA standards. Our mission is to promote positive safety cultures by providing clients with the best aviation SMS systems. And by delivering well designed SMS systems and assisting with implementation, we harmonize our mission with our vision of preventing accidents using the same fundamental process our clients use - the process of continual improvement.

Omni provides customized and bespoke integrated quality/safety management systems (QSMS) for the aviation industry. This includes software, written guidance and training. We specialize in Part 5/SMSVP standards.

Our custom QSMS systems are highly configurable. System configuration aligns the QSMS with each client's size, scope, identified processes, and type(s) of operations. It also lets us import a client's previous safety data, mapping the same terms and nomenclature with which the client is familiar and may have been trending.

We've also integrated modem SMS tools into our QSMS, including an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HF ACS), Boeing's MEDA and REDA event investigation methods, ARMS event risk classification, ASIAS data sharing, and the Flight Safety Foundation's BAR standard, which assesses risk controls. Risk controls are barriers, designed into a system to prevent errors (such as a preflight checklist). Effective risk controls also minimize the severity of consequences when errors do occur.

An effective SMS requires non-punitive reporting policies, and a willingness of people to report their errors without blame. Organizational behavior which conforms to these beliefs is known as a "positive safety culture". We strive to practice this philosophy and continually improve here at Omni Air Group. This means being receptive to feedback and remaining tolerant - not to negligence or carelessness, but to"honest mistakes" made with sincere good intentions.

But errors still occur! So Omni employs testing as a quality control to assure the quality of work performed. Other quality management tools capture customer feedback in order to follow through on enhancement requests and identified defects. We then "close the loop" by reporting back to the client with honesty and transparency, Salerno says.

Implementing any new system, whether for business or aviation safety, should always involve stakeholders. If selecting a service provider like Omni, compare, shortlist and check references for success stories and failures. Trial the product or service first; marketing materials and web demos alone shouldn't drive such important decisions.

For business start-ups, find a mentor and follow their advice. Read business books. One of my recent mentors, Martin Lidgard, recommended "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey A. Moore. This is a must-read for software start-ups. It explains why start-ups need to target a small market niche which will promote peer-to- peer sharing. Spread your net too wide and you'll miss opportunities provided by word of mouth in a small community, adds Paul.

Omni's products and services are unique and best-in class. We are in a state of continual improvement as we regularly add new clients. Our future is bright!