By Matt Dubois — PJS Chief of Staff & Director of Safety

What is an aviation safety policy? 

A formal safety policy is the guiding star of an aviation safety program. It outlines all the essential information anyone in a company would want to know regarding safety. It is one of the four components of an effective Safety Management System (SMS), as defined by the FAA.

As an experienced aviation safety auditor, safety policy is always a major focus when examining any organization’s SMS and safety culture. There are required elements of a safety policy that truly set the conditions for success.

Things you should expect to see in a company’s safety policy

• Safety objectives and leadership commitment to fulfill them.
• Leadership’s promise to provide the necessary resources to implement the SMS. 
• Defined requirements for employee reporting of safety hazards or issues. 
• Outlined unacceptable behaviors and conditions for disciplinary action. 
• An emergency response plan that provides for the safe transition from normal to emergency operations.
• The accountable executive’s signature to show responsibility for execution on all points of the policy. 

Imparting your safety policy

Once in place, a company’s safety policy is the document that you should reference in response to employee questions, to demonstrate conformance to auditors and to outline essential facets of your SMS. Openly communicate the policy to all employees and post it visibly throughout the company — on a virtual resource board or in your office building — so that no one doubts the organization’s commitment to a culture of safety and how to achieve it. It is also important that the accountable executive regularly reviews the policy to ensure it remains relevant and appropriate to the organization, its clients and any industry changes.  

Private Jet Services Safety Standards

At PJS, safety comes first. Always. It is the focus of our decision-making at every level. Led by our dedicated team of industry veterans, PJS sets standards for due diligence with stringent safety mechanisms that require an absolute commitment to details — like the contents and character of a safety policy. By proactively discerning and abiding by industry best practices, we create safer and more consistent flight experiences for our clients.