We do understand that assuming the position of safety director at one of the world’s busiest airports presents its own set of challenges. It is especially difficult to manage the new work responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our consulting company would be happy to guide you through the process of risk assessment and management and tailor the strategies to your particular case.
In our work, we make sure to comply with the guidelines issued by the leading international aviation institutions, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The key concept used by the ICAO and other organizations is a safety management system (SMS). To explain the gist of the concept, in short, we prioritize the systematic approach to maintaining acceptable levels of safety risk (ICAO, n.d.). Disasters, such as pandemics, reveal systematic faults in how we run facilities, such as airports. We are sure you would agree that responding to consequences is no longer adequate. What we aim for when working with clients is predicting and preventing risks and building an environment that facilitates fast communication and mitigation.
SMS has four key components, each of which should be considered when assessing the operations of Paris-Le Bourget airport. Firstly, we suggest an overhaul of the existing safety policies. It may come to our attention that some of them are obsolete or need revising. Comprehensive safety policies will allow you to meet a variety of goals. They will risk management methods, processes, and organizational structure as well as facilitate communication and cooperation within the organization.
Safety risk management (SRM) entails identifying the hazards and assessing, analyzing, and controlling risks. Paris-Le Bourget has seen a few incidents, with the latest being the crash of Air France Flight 4590 in 2000. While the last two decades have been free of accidents, the new reality of the pandemic may dictate its own rules. Monthly, the airport welcomes up to 8-10 million passengers (Groupe ADP, 2019). Though the numbers have been down since last year, the facility could still do better strengthening its anti-COVID-19 policies. SRM may also include maintenance of aircraft during longer periods of storage to ensure a smooth return to operations after the pandemic is over.
Safety assurance (SA) evaluates the continued effectiveness of the implemented strategies. There are several steps to SA, such as information acquisition, data analysis, and system assessment. At our company, we believe in making data-driven decisions and can suggest innovative technologies to support the decision-making process at Paris-Le Bourget. Aside from that, we will analyze which guidelines the airport needs to comply with and offer an independent, external audit.
Lastly, safety promotion (SM) means creating a safety culture within the organization. Safety should not be just a distinct part of your strategy. It is a philosophy that should inform all operations. From our side, we may connect you with opportunities to provide SMS training to your staff, from entry-level workers to top management. During this uneasy time, Paris-Le Bourget needs more systems and safety communication and awareness. The airport’s decades of experience may serve as a starting point for training. We believe that the past is a valuable source of lessons, and every accident should teach the company and motivate it to refine its strategies.
References
Groupe ADP. (2019). Aéroports de Paris SA March 2019 traffic figures. Web.
ICAO. (n.d.). Safety management. Web.