Safety

What is SMS?

The Federal Aviation Administration defines a safety management system as a formalized approach to managing safety by developing an organization-wide safety policy; formal methods of identifying hazards and analyzing and mitigating risk; methods for ensuring continuous safety improvements; and organization-wide strategies to promote safety.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport defines a safety management system as a data-driven, business-oriented approach to managing safety, including the necessary organizational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures. It focuses on organizational safety rather than strictly conventional health and safety issues at work.

The Airport’s SMS will:

Identify safety hazards
Ensure that actions are taken to mitigate risks and hazards
Provide for continuous monitoring and regular assessment of the safety level

Benefits of an SMS?

Reduces the direct and indirect cost of accidents
Improves employee productivity
Establishes a marketable safety record
Prioritizes safety needs
Ensures compliance with legal responsibilities for safety
Provides efficient maintenance scheduling and resource utilization
Promotes ongoing improvement of operational processes

Who’s accountable?

All levels of management, beginning with the aviation general manager, are accountable for delivering the highest level of safety performance.

Safety Policy

Safety is one of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s core business functions. The Department of Aviation is committed to implementing a safety management system (SMS) that enables its management, employees, the airlines, tenants and other business partners to operate in a safe environment that minimizes exposure to hazards and risks and encourages all employees to report safety-related situations, incidents or accidents. Hartsfield-Jackson is dedicated to developing, implementing, maintaining and constantly improving strategies and processes to ensure that all aviation activities take place within the department’s planed allocation for resources, aimed at achieving the highest level of safety performance and complying with local, State and Federal regulations and standards.

Hartsfield-Jackson’s leaders will provide the necessary policy direction, resources and environment for a successful SMS. Department of Aviation employees will implement the SMS in partnership with airlines, tenants and other business partners. All levels of management, beginning with the Aviation General Manager, are accountable for delivering the highest level of safety performance.

Contact Us

Email: SafetyAlways@atl.com

Address
City of Atlanta Department of Aviation
Safety Management Systems
6000 North Terminal Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30320

Phone
(404)382-4674

SMS Confidential Reporting Form

The SMS confidential reporting program is designed to encourage employees to report existing and potentially hazardous situations at the Airport while protecting their confidentiality and eliminating any fear of retribution. Confidential reports may be made by calling (404) 382-4674 or clicking here to submit a report online 24 hours per day, seven days per week. If the hazardous situation is an emergency, call 911 immediately. The employee’s identity will be kept confidential to the extent permissible by law. With the participation of Airport employees, ATL can prevent accidents and improve overall safety.

The Hartsfield-Jackson SMS slogan “Safety Always!” means developing a culture in which every Airport employee makes safety a key consideration every day. Every employee is responsible for communicating any information that may affect Airport operations and for using the confidential reporting program to ensure that potential safety issues are addressed and corrected.

Fill out the Safety Management System Confidential Report Form

OneATL Safety Always Program

Safety is ALWAYS a priority at Hartsfield-Jackson, and we are applauding those who exhibit safety excellence. The OneATL Safety Always Program each month honors employees who demonstrate exemplary safety practices by identifying hazards and taking actions to maintain a safe working environment for our employees and customers.

Who should you nominate?

Any employee or team who displays exceptional safety awareness in the day-to-day work environment should be nominated. The types of safety behaviors that merit award consideration should clearly state activities of identifying hazards and any actions taken to mitigate risks of injury or accidents, including, but not limited to, the following:

Acting prudently to report and/or prevent a safety hazard or incident.
Promoting a positive safety culture to increase employee awareness of hazards and workplace safety.
Adhering to good housekeeping standards to enhance fire safety by avoiding blocked or obstructed aisles, exits or fire extinguishers.
Preventing or removing hazards such as foreign object debris (FOD) in or around Aircraft Operation Area.

What are the nominating categories?

The safety categories provide recognition for acts intended to prevent adverse effects related to danger, risks or injury. Individuals and/or teams whose behavior exemplifies Safety Always are eligible to be nominated. The safety recognition is focused on Airside and Landside operations in the categories below:

General Safety – Airside
General Safety – Landside
Fire and Life Safety (Airside and Landside operations)
FOD Removal and Management

Who can be nominated?

Any employee from the Hartsfield-Jackson community may be nominated. Nominations to be considered for the current month.

Who can make nominations?

Anyone from the Hartsfield-Jackson community may nominate any employee; however, self-nominations will not be considered or processed.

New Award Category: Fire and Life Safety

Our newest category recognizes Airport employees who have made significant contributions in Fire and Life Safety — contributions that benefit the lives and well-being of our Airport community. We want to recognize these heroes!

This category includes Airport workers (excluding fire, EMS and police) who have demonstrated unselfish acts of courage by responding to an emergency to save lives and/or property.

It also includes individuals or teams who promote fire and life safety practices by identifying fire hazards and/or taking actions to mitigate fire and life safety risks within their work environment.

Examples of fire and life safety practices include the following:

Demonstrated actions to reduce hazards for effective fire prevention, fire protection and/or life safety (includes practical and creative methods);
Used fire safety education or knowledge to help prevent a possible fire and life incident by seeking out the appropriate assistance to ensure that the situation was safely resolved;
Maintained a safe work environment by keeping areas clean, eliminating accumulation of materials and debris, and ensuring fire exits are not blocked.
If you know of anyone who meets the criteria for a OneATL Safety Always Award, nominate him or her today!

Click on the link below to access the nomination form.

One ATL Safety Always Award Nomination Form