Introduction

This course introduces the essential concepts of Human Factors, Crew Resource Management (CRM), and Just Culture in aviation safety. It focuses on optimizing human performance, reducing human error, and enhancing safety cultures through practical applications. The course covers vital topics such as stress management, situational awareness, decision-making, leadership, and error prevention. Participants will learn to foster a "Just Culture" within organizations, encouraging safe practices while holding people accountable for their actions in a fair and supportive manner.

This course is a comprehensive, interactive, application-based program specifically designed to help understand the root cause of all error whether it be flight crew, maintenance, or organizational.

By the end of this course delegates will demonstrate understanding of the following Just Culture aspects:

• The definition(s) of ‘Just Culture’
• The principles of ‘Just Culture’
• The benefits of having a Just Culture in the organisation
• The conditions required to create a Just Culture in the organisation
• Guidelines for creating a Just Culture

Course Content

Human Error and Reliability - Types of error - Human factor mishap sequence - Error chain - Error prevention & detection (Threat and error management) - Company safety culture, SOPs, & organizational factors;

Stress - Rational vs. automatic thought processes - Acute stress responses - Delayed responses under stress - Stress and overall performance - Stress and task complexity - Zones of stress tolerance - Workload and task allocation - Fatigue and subtle pilot incapacitation

Situational Awareness - Developing a mental model (Individual & Shared) - Information processing steps (Detection, Processing, Action) - Complacency - Risk management - Components of situational awareness - Clues to the loss of situational awareness - Automation management

Decision Making - Skill based decisions (Habit patterns for routine situations)) - Rule based decisions (Training for familiar problems) - Knowledge based decisions (Dealing with novel situations)

Effective Communications - Inquiry, advocacy, and assertiveness - Conflict resolution - Feedback & critique

Leadership, Team Behavior, & Synergy - Teamwork and synergy - Designated leadership - Functional leadership

Participants receive a comprehensive syllabus which includes hand outs of the presentations and additional human factors materials for further study or reference.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own examples if they would like to discuss these examples with the group.

For the Just Culture the following subjects will be addressed: 

• What is Safety?
• Human Information Processing
• Human Error
• Cultures in Organisations
• Reporting Systems
• No Blame Culture
• Acceptable and Non Acceptable Behaviour
• Trust
• Assessing and measuring Just Culture
• Maintaining Just Culture

Attendees receive a comprehensive syllabus which includes hand outs of the presentations and additional human factors materials for further study or reference.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this course attendees will be able to:

• Understanding the nature of Human Error.
• Identify and predict potential Human Error.
• Identify strategies for reducing or controlling Human Error.
• Modify current CRM programs to include the most up to date human factor concepts.
• Adopt a credible, non-punitive policy toward human error (not violations). This does not mean we do not hold people accountable but it does recognize – people make honest mistakes.
• Demonstrate a commitment to taking action to reduce error-inducing conditions.
• Provide training in Threat & Error Management strategies for individuals and teams.
• Identify threats and deal with them before they become errors.
• Assist in assessing current and proposed policies and procedures.
• Enhance the professional standards / internal affairs process (re: analysis of specific acts and implications for the organization).
• Conduct investigations for individuals involved mishaps or other incidents.
• Conduct strategic planning or goals setting sessions.
• Develop training plans (assessment to application).
• Develop effective risk management practices.

Who should take this course

All employees within aviation companies and maintenance organizations - including key post-holders, flight safety facilitator, air crews, accountable, quality, maintenance, and training managers; the nominated SMS manager; departmental heads, and operations managers. The course will also fulfill the needs of regulators from aviation authorities and representatives from industry. 

Pre-requisites

A basic understanding of the subjects addressed in the training course is recommended but not required.

Participants are kindly requested to bring a laptop to the course to access training course material which will only be provided in electronic format.

Training course delivery will be in the English Language.

Duration

4 days, starting at 9:00 each day and finishing approx. at 17.00