The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is hosting the 63rd International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations Annual Conference.
The five day event has the theme "Invest in People: The Future of ATM” and includes discussions to help enable air traffic controllers (ATCOs) build a positive safety culture, encourage innovation, and attract and develop talent to support the growth of air travel.
Opening the conference, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of sustainability and the Environment, and Ministry of Transport, Dr Amy Khor announced that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will be publishing a Singapore Aviation Sector Safety Culture Handbook next month to strengthen safety culture in the Singapore aviation sector.
Tailored to Singapore’s operating context, the guidance in the handbook is aimed at aviation companies and professions, including ATCOs, pilots and engineers.
The handbook explores factors that impact safety such as organisational structures, socio-cultural norms, communication styles and team dynamics and provides practical guidance for strengthening safety culture, including “Do’s and Don’ts” and case studies.
For example, it suggests that organisations need to strengthen processes to address new safety risks that may arise from an increase in air travel volume, changes in weather patterns and route adjustments. The handbook encourages management to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness and necessity of new operational procedures before implementation.
The handbook is based on the results of a safety culture survey conducted by CAAS last year and subsequent focus group discussions with management and workers.
The survey showed that the Singapore aviation sector has a positive safety culture but more can be done to strengthen trust between management and operational staff and foster a positive safety culture amongst all aviation workers, particularly new entrants who joined the aviation sector.