Aviation Safety – The Basics The Philosophy of Safety

1 The Philosophy of Safety

Learning Objectives:

1. Comprehend the fallacy of the statement “Safety is Job One”.

2. Define the term “Tombstone Technology”.
3. Know the dual charter given to the FAA by the United States Congress.
4. Know the current value of a statistical life (VSL), as identified by the United States Department
of Transportation.
5. Understand the variability of the VSL in terms of death and injury.
6. Understand how all United States Government agencies use a different value of a human life.
7. Explain the term “cost/benefit” ratio.
8. Know the elements that explain the “cost” of implementing a safety improvement.
9. Know the elements that explain the “benefit”.
10. Explain why the FAA is required to conduct a cost/benefit ratio analysis before
creating new regulations.
11. Identify the ramifications of having an overly aggressive safety program.
12. Identify the ramifications of having an overly aggressive focus on production.
13. Know the number of aviation air carriers who use safety as an advertising and marketing tool.

Is Safety a Core business function?

In successful aviation organizations, the management of safety is a core business function – as is financial
management. We often hear aviation professionals tell us that nothing is more important than safety.
Can safety really be the number one objective? Probably not. Successful aviation organizations establish
an effective safety management that has a realistic balance between safety and production goals. The
finite limits of personnel, time, resources, financing, and operational performance must be accepted in
any industry. If properly implemented, safety management maximizes both safety and the operational
effectiveness of an organization. Safety must co-exist with our production objectives. There is no aviation
organization that has been created to deliver only safety.

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