OTTAWA, Jan. 23, 2013 /CNW/ - The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA)—the world's largest
nongovernmental aviation safety organization—issued the following
response to CBC TV's program "Power & Politics with Evan Solomon" that
aired on 22 January.
"Safety Management Systems (SMS) are a valuable tool to enhance safety
in aviation and other transportation industries in Canada. SMS aid
airlines by helping to identify and mitigate safety risks that have not
been anticipated by regulators. As a result, SMS programs are critical
to ensuring the highest safety standards are maintained and to
providing a continuous means of identifying hazards before they become
serious.
"Equally important is the concept that nonpunitive and confidential
safety programs remain a foundation for heading off safety risks before
incidents or accidents occur.
"ALPA maintains unequivocally that a nonpunitive, confidential safety
reporting program is essential, especially when it comes to identifying
and responding to human factors issues.
"Canada is a world leader in adopting SMS programs in its marine, rail,
and aviation industries. SMS programs ensure continuing safety by
combining the appropriate levels of incentive for front-line employee
reporting, internal auditing and regulatory oversight.
"When Transport Canada or the airlines consider releasing any Transport
Audit to the public, they must ensure that any confidential reporting
referenced or used as the basis of that audit remain strictly
confidential. This is absolutely essential as the confidentiality of
information given in a SMS is the very backbone that ensures its
authenticity and timeliness."
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, representing
nearly 51,000 pilots at 35 airlines in the United States and Canada,
including the 2,800 Canadian flight crewmembers who fly for Air
Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, CanJet, First Air, Jazz
Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.
SOURCE: Air Line Pilots Association, Intl
