Aviation Safety Management

 Evaluation is an independent review of company policies, procedures, and systems  .  If accomplished by the company itself, the evaluation  should be done by a person or organization in the company other than the one performing the  function being evaluated.  The evaluation process builds on the concepts of auditing and  inspection.  An evaluation is an anticipatory process designed to identify and correct potential  problems before they happen.  An evaluation is synonymous with the term systems audit. 

Function consists of specific or discreet actions required by a system to  achieve an objective (e.g. an operation that a system must perform in order to accomplish its  mission, such as a maintenance action required to restore a system to operation).          Such actions  may be accomplished through the use of equipment, personnel, facilities, firmware, software, or  a combination thereof. In a broader sense, the term function refers to what is expected to be  incorporated into each system rather than how the system accomplishes its objective.          This makes  for a more performance-based system and allows for a broad range of techniques to be used to  accomplish the performance objectives. This, in turn, maximizes scalability while preserving  standardization of results across the aviation organization communities.

 An observable, measurable set [pattern] of skills, knowledge, abilities,   behaviors, and other characteristics that an individual needs to perform work roles of  occupational functions successfully.   Competencies are typically required at different levels of  proficiency depending on the work roles or occupational function.  Competencies can help ensure  that individual and team performances align with the organization’s mission and strategic  direction.

Controls are elements of the system, including hardware, software, special  procedures, or procedural steps, and supervisory practices designed to keep processes on track to  achieve their intended results.  Organizational process controls are typically defined in terms of  special procedures, supervisory and management practices, and processes.  Many controls are  inherent features of the SMS.  Practices such as continuous monitoring, internal  audits, internal evaluations, and management reviews (all parts of the Safety Assurance (SA)  component) are identified as controls within the design expectations.   Additionally, other  practices such as documentation, process reviews, and data tracking are identified as controls  within specific elements and processes.

  P rocedure - “a specified way to carry out an activity or a process” – procedures translate the  what in goals and objectives into how in practical activities (things people do).  Procedures are  simply documented activities to accomplish processes, e.g., a way to perform a process.  The  organization should specify their own procedures for accomplishing processes in the context of  their unique operational environment, organizational structure, and management objectives.