Aer Lingus 2011 Annual Report Download - page 29

Annual Report 2011 27
SAFETY AND SECURITY STATEMENT Aer Lingus Group Plc
Aer Lingus Safety Management System
Safety is a corporate value of Aer Lingus and we are committed to
maintaining a safe, healthy and sustainable working environment
wherever we operate – for our staff, our customers and the public. We
actively manage safety as an integral part of all operations, both in the
air and on the ground. We are committed to implementing,
developing and improving strategies, management systems and
processes to ensure that all our activities uphold the highest level of
safety performance. It is also our objective to promote the safety,
health and welfare of all employees and all those affected by our
activities, so far as is reasonably practicable.
In order to fulfil the commitments explicit in the Aer Lingus Safety
Policy, management will enforce the requirement to proactively
manage risk in the control of all activities of personnel and of the use
of resources that are directly related to, or necessary for, the delivery
of service to our customers. Recruitment practices, training and
supervision of employees, and the procurement of equipment to
support service delivery activity are all factors in the successful
management of safety. Aer Lingus management will ensure that all staff
adhere to safety policy and controls, and that their working
environment remains conducive to carrying out their assigned duties.
The Aer Lingus Safety Management System (“SMS”), as described in
the Air Safety Manual, provides the mechanism for management to
deliver on this commitment.
Aer Lingus’ SMS is directed by the Safety Manager. This role reports
directly to the Chief Executive, ensuring continued accountability and
awareness of these issues and their importance within the Group. The
Safety Manager has responsibility for the coordination and oversight of
the key SMS components; Air Safety, Health and Safety, Security,
Quality Assurance and Emergency Response Planning.
The Aer Lingus SMS is subject to an ongoing continuous improvement
programme. In 2010, as part of the wider Corporate restructuring, the
key focus for the Safety Manager was redirected towards the core
function of flight safety and accident prevention. Other key
components of the SMS now directly report into other departments
within the Company, with the Safety Manager maintaining oversight of
the entire system. Continued further investment in the SMS was also
delivered, through recruitment to the Air Safety Office (“ASO”) staff
and realignment of some business practices, including Flight Data
Monitoring (FDM) into the ASO.
The Group places great emphasis on proactive and predictive systems
to manage safety. The SMS involves the ongoing routine collection and
analysis of safety data during the ordinary course of business, which
enables proactive management. This includes a Flight Data Monitoring
Programme, a Confidential Air Safety Reporting System and a specific
Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis (HIRA) programme. The
principles of air safety management are integral to all Aer Lingus’
training programmes. Courses are designed around the prevention of
accidents and incidents and cover all aspects of our operation,
including the handling of dangerous goods, aviation security and
emergency response planning. Staff training in all operational
departments is mandatory. Training records and processes are regularly
subject to external review and audit. Aer Lingus is subject to regular
safety reviews, in particular from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and
our partner airlines.
In 2011, the Air Safety Office continued its mission of delivering
training to all operational divisions, and now also routinely trains staff
from our third party handling contractors.
Aer Lingus is registered as an IOSA Operator under the IATA
Operational Safety Audit Programme. The IOSA programme is an
internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to
assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
In 2011, Aer Lingus successfully attained its third successive IOSA
accreditation, achieving a zero finding result in the audit.
Aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul are critical to the safety and
comfort of Aer Lingus’ passengers, the efficient use of its aircraft and
the optimisation of its fleet utilisation. The Aer Lingus maintenance
system is subject to repeated audit inspections by the IAA.
There is a programme of continual review to ensure ongoing
compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005,
and the General Applications Regulations 2007 and with all relevant
safety regulations, as well as the integration of Health & Safety into the
Airline’s flight safety & accident prevention programme.
Information and advice for customers on air travel and health is
available on the Group’s website, www.aerlingus.com, in the in-flight
magazine, Cara, and through on-board announcements and videos.
Air Safety
Aer Lingus’ Air Safety Office acts as an independent monitor of air
safety risk management. This office focuses on accident prevention,
hazard and risk analysis and promotes best practice and awareness
throughout the Group. The Air Safety Office is also responsible for
management of Flight Data Monitoring. This is a safety process
whereby flight performance is regularly monitored using telemetry to
identify any areas of risk and is used in both operational and
maintenance planning. The Air Safety Office operates the Group’s Air
Safety Reporting System, its incident and happening database and a
Confidential Air Safety reporting system.
SAFETY AND SECURITY STATEMENT