Developing a safety culture measurement instrument for European Air Traffic Control

1. Developing a safety culture measurement instrument for European Air Traffic Control Kathryn Mearns, Barry Kirwan, Jeanette Winter, Tom Reader & Rachael Gordon

2. Background • ATC is a very ‘safe’ industry but is undergoing major changes to accommodate increasing air traffic volume • ATC now required to implement SMS • Successful SMS depends on a positive safety culture (Kirwan, 1998) • SMS embodies espoused values regarding management and mitigation of risk • Safety Culture is the enactment of those values

3. What is Safety Culture? • Complex & multi-faceted construct • Embodies attitudes, beliefs, values, competencies, patterns of behaviour regarding risk and efficacy of safety measures • Is it possible to develop a culture free instrument for ATCCs from across Europe (North, South, East & West)?

4. Development Stages 2005: Literature Review, interviews, validation check & Survey of 4 ANSPs Understanding Safety Culture 2006: Tool Development & Safety Managers Workshops Developing a Safety Culture Measurement Tool 2007 - 2008: Tool Deployed at 8 ANSPs, CFA applied to data Safety Culture Enhancement 2009 - 2012: 30+ ANSPs to be surveyed

5. Main Themes Identified Commitment Teaming Involvement SAFETY CULTURE Learning & Reporting Responsibility Communications & Trust

6. Model to be tested

7. Items fitting across 4 countries • 1. Appropriate responses are made after an incident to address the reasons why the incident occurred. Reporting/ Learning • 26. There are so many changes that it is hard to keep track of the current situation. Communication Of Change • 29. My manager speaks about safety but does not take action. Involvement • 30. I trust the confidentiality of the reporting and investigation process. Trust • 42. Procedures accurately describe the way in which I do my job. Communication of Change • 58. People understand the need to report incidents in order to identify trends and make changes to the system if required. Reporting/Learning

8. Items fitting across 3 countries • 1. Appropriate responses are made after an incident to address the reasons why the incident occurred. Reporting/ Learning • 8. Controllers provide information about systems to maintenance personnel to keep the systems working properly (and vice versa). Teaming • 9. We are consulted about changes to the system and our opinions and input into areas such as safety assessments is actively sought after. Involvement • 17. People are willing to report incidents because they know they will be treated in a just and fair manner. Reporting/Learning • 20. Sometimes I have to bend the rules to cope with the workload. Commitment • 24. Information about changes to procedures or the system is easily accessible. Communication Of Change • 29. My manager speaks about safety but does not take action. Involvement • 35. I know what the future plans are for development of the system or the service. Communication of Change • 40. Everyone shares the responsibility for safety in this organization. Commitment/Responsibility • 41. I trust the systems that I need to use in my job. Trust • 42. Procedures accurately describe the way in which I do my job. Communication of Change • 44. Team meetings are used to communicate concerns and collect ideas for improvements. Reporting/Learning • 46. Controllers get sufficient training, prior to major changes being made, for example in the simulator. Teaming • 48. People avoid getting involved in safety because their opinions are ignored. Teaming • 52. Lessons learned from incidents are published in a newsletter or a similar document. Trust • 58. People understand the need to report incidents in order to identify trends and make changes to the system if required. Reporting/Learning

9. Best Model Fit – ANSP B

10. Future Work • Further refinement of questionnaire • Seems to have face and content validity but not good discriminant validity • Retention of ‘ambiguous’ statements, e.g. ‘Everyone knows about an accident that is just waiting to happen’?