SAFA Skysailor Magazine

30 SKY SAILOR January | February 2020 When should you lodge an AIRS report? The SAFA Operations Manual (V20180427) is quite clear on this: The pilot in command and/or the owner and/or the operator is responsible for lodging a report within 72 hours of an accident or incident. However, if you witness an accident or incident and you are unsure whether the accident or incident is/has been/will be reported, then lodge a report. Obviously, if someone is in the back of an ambu- lance, jumping online and lodging a report is likely pretty low on their list of priorities. When in doubt, lodge a report. We can handle multiple reports, but we can’t do anything if we don’t know about it. Some people are concerned that we will use an AIRS report to point a finger of blame or whack them around the head for doing something wrong. This is not the purpose of AIRS. AIRS reports are used to gather information about events and see if we can prevent them from reoccurring. They are also used so others can learn from them. We are starting to get the findings and safety recommendations out there via the SAFA website and SkySailor – a big thanks to our cadre of AIRS Managers for their as- sistance in this important work. The only time we will take action against some- body is where there is a clear case of wilful illegal behaviour, involving breaches of the Operations Manual or the Civil Aviation Regulations. What is the difference between an accident and an incident? Again, the Operations Manual provides some clear guidance. An accident is defined as a matter where: ➲ ➲ any person dies or suffers serious injury as a result of an occurrence associated with the operation of the aircraft; or ➲ ➲ the aircraft incurs damage or structural failure that adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft that would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component(s); or ➲ ➲ any third party property is destroyed or seriously damaged as a result of an occurrence associated with the operation of the aircraft; or ➲ ➲ the aircraft becomes lost or inaccessible. An incident is defined as an occurrence other than an accident, associated with the operation of the aircraft including: ➲ ➲ hard landings or other events where there was potential for serious injury (including near misses); or ➲ ➲ use of rescue equipment or crews to extricate pilot and/or aircraft from landing site. What defines a serious injury? This is an injury other than a fatality which: 1. requires hospitalisation for more than 48 hours commencing within 7 days from the date the injuries were received; or 2. results in the fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes or nose); or 3. involves lacerations which cause severe haem- orrhage, nerve, muscle or tendon damage; or 4. involves injury to any internal organ; or 5. involves second or third degree burns, or any burns affecting more than five percent of the body surface. If any of these conditions are met, then a report should be made. How do you report it? First up, log into the ‘Member Login’ area of the SAFA website [safa.asn.au ]. Click on the ‘Menu’ button and select ‘AIRS Submit an Accident, Incident or Complaint’ from the list of options (you’ll see it under ‘Reports’). You’ll then see the following screen: As you can see, there are a number of sections where information can be entered. First though, begin by reading the information in the orange box. Also, be aware that if you press the ‘Enter’ key on your keyboard during the data entry process, the screen will act as if you have pressed the ‘Submit’ button at the bottom of the screen. It is best to use the mouse or the ‘Tab’ key to navigate within the AIRS screens. It is good practice to ‘Submit’ every fewminutes, as there is a timeout function built into the data entry form, and work could be lost. You can go back into your report by going to the ‘View Accident/ Incident Reports’ option on the ‘Menu’. Your reports will appear in a list before the other reports in the system. Click on the red link in the ‘Description’ column to carry on entering information. Importantly, bear in mind to only enter informa- tion that you have – it’s okay to leave fields blank if you don’t know a particular detail. When a report comes in, I go through it and enter details I have access to. The AIRS Manager assigned to complete the review will also complete details as s/he work through the report, consulting with those involved. Let’s dive into details There are nine sections that make up an AIRS report: Factual Information: This first section is used to record the particulars of the event. You can give a list of all the people How to file an AIRS Report You’ve just witnessed or been involved in an accident or incident and you want to file an AIRS report while your recollections are still fresh, but you’ve never done one before – how do you go about it? Let’s take a step back. by Iain Clarke, Safety Management Officer