4. Safety Assurance

4.1 – Overview

Safety Assurance is an ongoing process of safety program evaluation; which provides confirmation and reassurance that the APSU Aviation Safety programs and processes are up-to-date and effective. Safety Assurance substantiates that the risk controls are implemented as prescribed.

The APSU Aviation Safety Coordinator is responsible for ensuring safety audits and inspections are conducted. These audits and inspections are the foundation of the Safety Assurance process. Findings and controls/corrective actions associated with findings shall be recorded and maintained. Any recommendations on controls/corrective actions shall be maintained and communicated to the appropriate stakeholder, in a timely manner. The results and any issues identified through the process shall be included in the agenda for the safety council meeting.

The APSU Aviation Safety Program will monitor, measure, and evaluate performance using the Plan, Do, Check, Act principle, which should include the following:

• Plan – Assess the risks and agree on the risk controls

  • Identify potential safety risks and hazards through analysis and assessment

  • Develop safety procedures and mitigation strategies to address identified risks’

  • Set clear safety goals and performance indicators to measure success

• Do – Apply risk controls

  • Implement the planned safety procedures and training programs

  • Monitor safety performance through observations and data collection

  • Communicate safety expectations and guidelines to all personnel

• Check – Monitor and review the effectiveness of risk controls

  • Analyze collected safety data to identify trends and areas of improvement

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of implemented safety measures

  • Conduct safety inspections and audits

• Act – Assess for new risks

  • Take corrective actions based on findings

  • Update safety procedures and training, as needed

  • Recognize and reward positive safety behaviors

4.2 – Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement

Senior leadership needs feedback related to the performance of the safety system so it may be evaluated and the necessary changes made. All stakeholders (employees and students) require the same assurance regarding the organization’s safety performance level. This performance monitoring occurs in several ways that include the following data acquisition processes:

• Monitoring of operational processes

• Monitoring of the operational environment

• Audits and inspections of operational processes

• Investigations of incidents and accidents

• Monitoring for employee non-compliance

• Employee hazard and safety reporting

4.3 – Audits and Inspections

The use of safety audits and inspections is to verify compliance and standardization is an integral part of quality assurance. The Aviation Safety Coordinator will keep and maintain records of audit and inspection findings. 

The results of the audits or inspection will be communicated to all personnel in the APSU Aviation Science program. The APSU Aviation Safety Coordinator or designated representative will conduct, at least, one annual audit and inspection to determine the performance and effectiveness of risk controls and/or operational processes.

Safety performance monitoring and measurement is fundamental to the safety management process with the overall goal of continuous improvement. The process is designed to ensure that identified substandard safety performance are corrected. Any implemented risk controls that have been found to be unacceptable shall be corrected through the Safety Risk Management process.