Safety promotion is an important component of the Safety Management System (SMS) and, together with the safety policy and the organisation's objectives defined in it, is an essential element in the continuous improvement of safety levels. Through safety promotion an organisation proposes a culture that goes beyond the ultimate goal of avoiding accidents or reducing their number, but suggests a model of virtuous behaviour for operators and organisations to implement the correct actions in response to both normal and emergency situations.

ICAO outlines, in the SMS architecture, Safety Promotion as consisting of two main elements:

• communication
• training

In order to promote safety and increase airport operators' awareness of operational risks and how to prevent them, the SMS promotes awareness campaigns on safety issues.

One of the cornerstones of the Safety Management System is the Reporting System. Every aeronautical event, i.e. any operational interruption, defect, fault or other irregular situation that has or may have affected flight safety, contains within itself the elements that, if properly known and investigated, can form the basis for implementing corrective actions so that the event does not recur in the future.

F.A has set itself the objective of encouraging the participation of all airport operators in its reporting system. They are in fact asked to report events that pose a risk to aircraft safety. through the compilation of the Safety Report. Voluntary and mandatory reporting is the most important communication tool so that no event is overlooked. Each anomaly can be of great value in highlighting potential causes of more serious events.

Without prejudice to the obligations under Regulation (EU) 376/2014, airport staff and any airport organisation are required to cooperate with the airport's safety programmes by reporting to the Safety Management System any aeronautical event occurring on the airport airside that could pose a risk to the safety of operations.

Information received is collected, recorded, analysed and used solely to maintain or improve the safety of operations and not to apportion blame or liability.

Reports to the Safety Management System can be made by personnel/organisations via the Ground Safety Report form.

The information transmitted is used only for statistical and analytical purposes for preventive purposes.

Mandatory reporting

Any event resulting in damage (injury to persons, damage to aircraft, vehicles, infrastructure) or affecting the safety of airside operations must be reported to the Safety Management System in the prescribed manner, without prejudice to the need to notify F.A. promptly for operational management.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of the events listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2015/1018.1, to which please refer for more details and a complete list, which must be reported to the SMS within 72 hours of the incident.

 

• Aircraft and obstacle events

1. A collision or non-collision on the ground or in flight, with another aircraft, with the ground or with an obstacle (including a vehicle).
2. Impact with fauna including birds.
3. Excursion from the taxiway or runway.
4. Actual or potential invasion of the taxiway or runway.
5. Invading or leaving the final approach and take-off area (FATO).
6. The failure of an aircraft or vehicle to comply with authorisation, instructions or restrictions while operating on the movement area of an airport (e.g. failure on the runway, taxiway or restricted part of an airport).
7. A foreign object present on the movement area of an airport that has or could have endangered the aircraft and its occupants or any other person.
8. Presence of obstacles at or near the airport that are not listed in the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) or NOTAM (Notice to Pilots) and/or that are not properly marked or illuminated.
9. Interference in push-back, power-back or taxiing by vehicles, equipment or persons.
10. Passengers or unauthorised persons left unsupervised on the forecourt.
11. Reactor flow (jet blast), effects due to rotor or propeller flow.
12. Declaration of emergency situation (called 'MAYDAY' or 'PAN').

 

• Degradation or total interruption of services or functions

1. Interruption or malfunctioning of communications between:
   1. airport, vehicle or other ground personnel and air traffic services unit or apron management service unit;
   2. apron management service unit and aircraft, vehicle or air traffic service unit.
2. Fault, malfunction or defect significant of equipment or airport systems that has or could have endangered the aircraft or its occupants.
3. Significant deficiencies in airport lighting, marking or signage.
4. Failure of the airport's emergency alarm system.
5. Rescue and fire-fighting services not available as required.

• Other events

1. Fire, smoke, explosions in and around airport installations and facilities that have or could have endangered the aircraft and its occupants or any other person.
2. Events related to airport security (e.g. illegal entry, acts of sabotage, bomb scares).
3. Failure to report a significant change in the operating conditions of the airport that has or could have endangered the aircraft and its occupants or any other person.
4. Missing, incorrect or inadequate De-icing/Anti- icing treatment.
5. Significant fuel spillage during refuelling operations.
6. Loading of contaminated or unsuitable fuel or other contaminated or unsuitable essential fluids (including oxygen, nitrogen, lubricants and drinking water).
7. Failure to fix poor condition of the track surface.
8. Any event in which human performance directly contributed or may have contributed to an accident or serious incident.

 

• Specific events related to ground handling services

1. Improper handling or boarding of passengers, baggage, mail or cargo, which may significantly affect the mass and/or balance of the aircraft (including significant errors in load sheet calculations).
2. Removal of boarding equipment that poses a possible risk to the occupants of the aircraft.
3. Improper stowage or tie-down of baggage, mail or cargo that could endanger the aircraft, equipment or occupants or prevent an emergency evacuation.
4. Carriage, attempted carriage or handling of dangerous goods that endangered or could have endangered the safety of operations or led to an unsafe condition (e.g. dangerous goods incident or accident as defined in the ICAO Technical Instructions (3)).
5. Non-compliance concerning the reconciliation of luggage or passengers.
6. Failure to comply with prescribed aircraft ground handling and services procedures, in particular anti-icing, refuelling or loading procedures, including incorrect positioning or removal of equipment.
7. Significant fuel spillage during refuelling operations.
8. Inadequate fuel loading that could compromise the aircraft's range, performance, balance or structural strength.
9. Loading of contaminated or unsuitable fuel or other essential fluids (including oxygen, nitrogen, oil and drinking water).
10. Failure, malfunction or defect of equipment used for ground handling, which has caused or could cause damage to the aircraft [e.g. tow bar or GPU (ground power unit)].
11. Missing, incorrect or inadequate De-icing/Anti- icing treatment.
12. Damage to the aircraft caused by ground handling equipment or vehicles, including damage not previously reported.
13. Any event in which human performance directly contributed or may have contributed to an accident or serious incident.

Voluntary reporting

Any potential dangers or abnormal situations must be reported promptly to the Safety Maneger or the Safety Services Office via the qr code inserted in each airport operator's TIA.

Safety is improved not only through the reporting of compulsory events that primarily trigger a reactive analysis, but mainly through a proactive analysis that is triggered by spontaneous reports of events that are deemed to be potential or actual dangers.

It is open to anyone to report events deemed dangerous that do not fall into the categories of mandatory events.

The following are examples of events that are recommended to be reported to the SMS:

1. Failure of aircraft to comply with procedures during the parking phase.
2. Oil spills from aircraft and vehicles.
3. Fuel spillage during refuelling operations.
4. Deficiencies in airport lighting, marking or signage.
5. Failure, malfunction or defect of airport equipment or systems.
6. Any other event that could have an impact on safety.