The Safety Management System (SMS) As A Tool for Building Safety Culture in Aviation: A Qualitative Research

Abstract

Safety culture is conceptualized as the combination of beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, roles, and practices—both social and technical—within an organization, aimed at mitigating the exposure to adverse or hazardous conditions for both internal and external individuals. In entities where a safety culture is deeply ingrained, efforts are made to formulate a framework that encourages employee adherence to safety regulations, promoting safe behaviours, particularly in high-risk environments. The efficacy of safety culture in substantially reducing accidents, incidents, errors, hazards, and risks, especially those related to human factors, is pivotal in attaining elevated safety standards. At the heart of fostering such a culture lies the implementation of a robust Safety Management System (SMS), which, through its effective and dynamic execution, paves the way for cultivating a safety-centric ethos. This study conducts a detailed empirical analysis of aviation enterprises in Türkiye to evaluate the hypothesis that the Safety Management System (SMS) is a crucial instrument in cultivating a safety culture within the aviation industry. The study employs qualitative research methodologies to discern the correlation between the effectiveness of SMS and its components and the level of safety culture within these organizations. Findings from the study reveal a direct relationship where entities with inadequately implemented SMS and its elements exhibit lower levels of safety culture. Conversely, enterprises that demonstrate effective implementation of SMS are characterized by a high level of safety culture, affirming the critical role of SMS in fostering safety within aviation organizations. This inquiry not only substantiates the integral role of SMS in developing a safety culture in aviation but also highlights the necessity for meticulous implementation of SMS components and processes to achieve a superior safety standard in the industry.

Keywords

• Aeronautical Decision Making
• Aviation safety
• Aviation automation
• Human cognition
• Pilot instrument interaction

References

1. Aytaç, S. (2011). The Importance of Safety Culture in Preventing Occupational Accidents. Journal of the Turkish Metal Union, 147, 30-33.
2. Baltacı, A. (2019). Qualitative Research Process: How to Conduct a Qualitative Research. Journal of Ahi Evran University Institute of Social Sciences, 5(2), 368-388.
3. Bayramoğlu, G. (2007). Investigation of Resource-Based Management Model in terms of Competitive Advantages and A Qualitative Research in Ford Otosan, Tusaş, Graham and Toprak Seramik Enterprises. Eskişehir: Anadolu University Institute of Social Sciences.
4. Chatzi, A. V. (2018). Safety Management Systems: An Opportunity and a Challenge for Military Aviation Organisations. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 91(1), 190-196.
5. Chen, C. F., and Chen, S. C. (2012). Scale Development of Safety Management System Evaluation for The Airline Industry. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 47, 177-181.
6. Choudhry, R. M., Fang, D., and Mohamed, S. (2007). The Nature of Safety Culture: A Survey of The State-Of- The-Art. Safety Science, 45(10), 993-1012.
7. Cooper, D. (2002). A Model for Understanding &; Quantifying A Difficult Concept. Professional Safety, 30-36.
8. Erceylan, N., and Atilla, G. (2021). The Impact of Safety Management System Processes on Corporate Reputation in Aviation Training Organizations: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Süleyman Demirel University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, (39), 353-379.

9. Erdener, M. (2019). A Conceptual Study on Safety Culture in Aviation, the Relationship Between Safety Culture and Safety Management System (IMS-SMS) and Suggestions for Creating a Positive Safety Culture, Kırıkkale University Social Sciences Institute, Kırıkkale.
10. Fernández-Muñiz, B., Montes-Peon, J. M., and Vazquez-Ordas, C. J. (2007). Safety Management System: Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Scale. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 20(1), 52-68.
11. Gerede, E. (2005). An important tool in improving aviation safety: the safety management system. Paper Presented at the National Aviation Symposium and Workshop.
12. Gerede, E. (2018). Aviation Safety. Anadolu University Press. Eskişehir.
13. Gill, G. K., and Shergill, G. S. (2004). Perceptions Of Safety Management and Safety Culture in The Aviation Industry in New Zealand. Journal of Air Transport Management, 10(4), 231-237.
14. Gürsel, S., Rodoplu, H. and Orhan, G. (2020). Developing a culture of safety in aviation. Journal of Social Sciences Studies (FAQJournal), 6(69), 3935-3944.
15. IATA (2024). Safety Management System https://www.iata.org/en/programs/safety/safety-management- system/
16. ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). (2018). Safety Management Manual. Doc 9859, (4. Edition), Montreal, Quebec.
17. Kurnaz, S., and Deniz, M. (2018). The Relationship Between Safety Culture Perception and Employee Performance in Aviation Sector1. Advisory Board, 125-138.
18. Labodova, A. (2004). Implementing Integrated Management Systems Using a Risk Analysis Based Approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 12, 571–580.
19. McDonald, N., Corrigan, S., Daly, C., and Cromie, S. (2000). Safety Management Systems and Safety Culture In Aircraft Maintenance Organizations. Safety Science, 34(1-3), 151-176.
20. Olcay, Z. F., and Erdem, B. (2021). Safety Culture in the Prevention of Work Accidents. Pearson Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities., 6(14), 82-88.
21. SHGM. (2013). Passenger Services. Ankara: Pegem Academy Publishing.
22. Teke, A. and Şimşek, H. (2020). Emniyet Yönetim Sistemi Uygulamalarının Kurumsal İmaj Üzerindeki Etkileri: Uçuş Eğitim Organizasyonlarında Bir Araştırma [The Effects of Safety Management System Implementations on Corporate Image: A Study in Flight Training Organizations]. Journal of Aviation, 4(1), 45-60.
23. Tunç, İ. (2020). Hava Trafik Kontrol Hizmetlerinde Emniyet Yönetim Sistemi Uygulamaları [Safety Management System Implementations in Air Traffic Control Services]. Journal of Aviation Research, 3(1), 81-105.
24. Uslu, S., and Dönmez, K. (2016). Geçmişten Günümüze Havacılık Kazalarının Sebeplerindeki Değişimler Üzerine Bir İnceleme [A Study on the Changes in the Causes of Aviation Accidents from Past to Present]. Journal of Social Sciences, 3(9), 222-239.
25. Ustaömer, T. C., and Şengür, F. (2020). Havacılıkta Emniyet Kültürü: Reason’ın Emniyet Kültürü Modelinin İncelenmesi [Safety Culture in Aviation: Examining Reason's Safety Culture Model]. Anemon Muş Alparslan University Journal of Social Sciences, 8(1), 95-104.
26. Ustaömer, T.C. (2020). Developing a Tool for Measuring Safety Culture in Aviation: A Study on Turkish Pilots. Anadolu University Institute of Social Sciences: Eskişehir. Ph.D. Thesis.
27. Von Thaden, T. L., and Gibbons, A. M. (2008). The safety culture indicator scale measurement system (SCISMS). National Technical Information Service Final Report, 1-57.
28. Wang, M. K. H. (2011). Safety culture and safety management systems: Enhancing the heartware of managing aviation safety. Pin, C., Ismail, J., Kang, A., Wanting, Z., and Koh, J. (Ed) Journal of Aviation Management 2011 (pp. 57-70). Singapore Aviation Academy.
29. Wiegman, D.A., H. Zhang, T. V. Thaden, G. Sharma, and A. Mitchell (2002), "A Synthesis of Safety Culture and Safety Climate Research", Technical Report, Available at https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1025/ML102500649.pd.
30. Wiegmann, D. A., Zhang, H., Von Thaden, T. L., Sharma, G., and Gibbons, A. M. (2004). Safety culture: An integrative review. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 14(2), 117-134.