Michelle Fons’ Post

There is an important purpose to the privilege offered in safety investigations described here, but is it always apply correctly? Understanding what exactly happened in unfiltered honesty is very important to preventing future mishaps. If a crew flagrantly flaunted the published aircraft limits, that doesn’t mean they caused the incident; instead a potential issue needing correction may have been found. As a hypothetical example, many aircraft have maximum airspeed limits based on extending aircraft life, not on airframe material failure. For an aircraft with a published max speed of 300 KIAS, the airframe might be rated up to 350 KIAS. If aircrew execute a maneuver at 320 KIAS and there is resultant airframe damage, several important conclusions can be made, such as: -the aircraft can continue to be safely operated at the published limit -the aircraft safety margin may be engineered lower than originally thought -the exact conditions of the incident can be recreated for testing But if the crew lies and says they were operating below the limit, because they fear punishment, time and resources may be wasted validating the aircraft’s material safety up to the published limit, testing at incorrect conditions, and needlessly inspecting other airframes. But what about another major causal factor--‘culture’. Cultural issues are so critical that military and civilian aviators do mandatory training on them, usually within the purview of programs like Threat and Error Management (TEM) and Operational Risk Management (ORM). Lessons learned are pulled from past accidents, a litany of what-not-to-do. Cultural factors are also protected under privilege, allowing aircrew to avoid punishment. But that idea also contributes heavily to cultural issues being some of the hardest to correct, resulting in repeated accidents with common causal themes. If a cultural issue was identified because of safety investigation privileged information, no one is at fault. And if the issue is no one’s responsibility, correcting the issue is no one’s responsibility either. One tough part is that privilege is not applied in a consistent manner. In the hypothetical above, if engineering played a role, detailed information will be given out about what the issue was and what the correction is. This information will likely even be announced publicly, not just within the aircraft community in question. Perhaps this is simply because there will be a dollar amount associated with the fix. The culture issues often die in the report. We can’t talk about the culture problems outside of a closed meeting, because they were privilege. We can’t share with the media and the public, because they were privilege. Then there is no oversight to follow-up the changes in the culture. These changes are more challenging to face, we cannot simply spend money buying improved parts. We will have to take a hard look at how we are doing business, and even more so, let others take a look.

🚒⚓ **Insightful ABS Regulatory News** ⚓🚒 This ABS Regulatory News offers insights into the international requirements that firefighting suits must comply with, as per SOLAS, and the additional requirements for EU-flagged vessels under the MED. It also sheds light on the perspective of PSC officers and provides recommended actions for operators. #MaritimeSafety #Firefighting #SOLAS #EURegulations #PSC #ShippingIndustry

Great piece… One thing that should be made clear is the difference between a safety and accident investigation. Everything in the accident investigation will come to light. There is a clear distinction between a safety and accident investigation. The concept of privilege is so vital to an accident investigation. But readers should be clear... The evidence in an accident investigation will come to light... “…getting to the truth of the cause of a mishap requires providing a space where people can be candid about what happened without fear of negative repercussions. There can be many potential reasons for a mishap, some of which are due to operator error; others can result from mechanical or material issues. This is where the concept of privileged safety information comes into play in a military safety investigation. Information about the incident or accident may be discussed truthfully and openly with safety investigators to quickly get to the root cause of the accident and address the failings. This saves lives.” Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gTpGGFiT Source - Stars and Stripes

After the tragic fire caused by a Lithium-Ion battery at a factory in Korea last June, another incident has occurred today at a data center in Singapore. Fires caused by Lithium-Ion batteries are extremely dangerous, and there is still no sufficiently effective method to extinguish them. The best approach is to install Electrolyte Solvent Vapour Detection for early warning, which helps prevent fires caused by Lithium-Ion batteries. At Honeywell, we want to raise awareness about the importance of preventing fires caused by Lithium-Ion batteries to ensure the safety of lives and the protection of your business. #liiontamer

🚢 Understanding the Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code for Ships is crucial for every maritime professional. In our latest article, we explore the FSS Code, which sets the standard for safety measures aboard ships. Whether you're working at sea or teaching future maritime engineers, this knowledge is vital. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dwfzpfP7 #MaritimeSafety #FSSCode #FireSafety #ShipManagement #MaritimeTraining #SafetyAtSea #MaritimeEducation

Rising maintenance mishaps in the Air Force are a concern, but a new worksheet employed in AETC (Air Education & Training Command) aims to mitigate risks by prompting maintainers to assess both their personal and environmental safety factors before high-risk tasks. This initiative reflects a proactive approach to increase safety and reduce costly accidents. Will this detailed pre-task assessment become a new standard in maintenance safety protocols? What are your thoughts? #AirForce #AircraftMaintenance #Safety #RiskManagement

I emphatically agree that Part 135 crews would benefit from a qualified Airman providing planning and operational control assistance, but the NTSB recommendation of an FAA-Certified Dispatcher is overkill. Part 65 Dispatcher programs are long, prohibitively expensive and train to an ATP-equivalent that are appropriate to Parts 121 and 125, not charter. A simpler solution would be to create a lower-level (think Commercial or Private/Instrument) Dispatcher certification that could be done online; this would be more affordable and accessible for Part 135 operators.

The report revealed the findings of a study of 116 fatal and 460 non-fatal accidents over 12 years (2010 to 2022). As a result of those findings, there is now a fresh set of safety recommendations that could lead to significant changes for Part 135 operators... #aviation #businessaviation #airplane #aircraft #bizav #pilot #pilottraining #dispatchers #schedulers #flightcoordinator #flightattendant #elearning #learning #safety #sms #ceo #business #aviationlovers National Transportation Safety Board Federal Aviation Administration

I fully support the urgent need for IMO to revise the PRINCIPLES OF MINIMUM SAFE MANNING (Res A.1047(27)). However, I believe a name change is also required. We should start calling it "Lowest Allowable Crewing" instead of "Minimum Safe Manning." This change would better reflect the reality: many vessels are manned at levels that barely meet operational needs, let alone allow for proper rest and safety. Moreover, Port State Control (PSC) should approach rest hours records with a critical eye. Instead of merely accepting these records at face value, the burden of proof should be on the vessel to demonstrate that the recorded rest hours are actually feasible. Real safety comes from ensuring rest hours are accurate and enforced, not just ticking boxes. If seafarers aren't rested, we simply cannot minimise incidents at sea. #SeafarersWelfare #SafeManning #IMO #FatigueManagement

Certain work zones require Flaggers or AFADs, which are critical components of work zone safety, as demonstrated in this flagging operation road closure. Compliant equipment, setups, and communication ensure the ease of navigation throughout the work zone and the protection of construction crews, pedestrians, and drivers.  #AWPSafety #SafetyExcellence #TrafficControl #RoadConstruction #DOT AWP Safety