Normal Operations Monitoring - A New Approach to Measuring and Monitoring Human and Safety Performance – Tested in Aviation Ground Operations

Abstract

Unlike flight operations, which is now regarded as an ‘Ultra-safe system’ (Amalberti 2001, p. 109) aviation ground safety has languished behind the rest of the industry (Verschoor and Young 2011), with activities on the ramp now accounting for more than a quarter of all incidents (Balk and Bossenbroek 2010). In recent years, both ‘damage to aircraft and harm to ground personnel have escalated’ (Passenier 2015 p. 38) costing air carriers more than USD10 billion annually (GAO 2007) Models and measures influential to aviation safety are reviewed for their possible contribution to the ground safety problem. The Threat and Error Management Model (TEM) and Line Operation Safety Audit (LOSA) method (Klinect, Murray, Merritt and Helmreich 2003) were identified as potential candidates and critically examined for their suitability. The aim of the current research was to develop an approach that builds on the existing benefits of LOSA, whilst incorporating contemporary theories of safety science, and improving data reliability and validity where possible. A new method is proposed named ‘Normal Operations Monitoring’ (NOM). NOM is an observation methodology which codes and measures human and safety performance in routine operations. NOM attempts to measure the gap between the system as designed and the system as actually operated (Hollnagel 2007). Identifying this variance provides novel insights into factors which influence safety performance and suggest new opportunities for interventions and improvement. NOM was customised for application in the ground handling industry. Data was collected and analysed from over 1300 observations of aircraft turnarounds. Implications for ground safety are explored as well as the potential applications and benefits of NOM to other domains. The final discussion explores how the current research and NOM tools could be taken forward as a method for informing and improving safety management in other high-hazard industries.