Emergency Procedures and Safety Management
What the exam tests
This domain tests emergency response and the operator's safety management system (SMS). You should know the emergency response plan (ERP), accident and incident notification, search and rescue coordination, emergency authority, and the four SMS components.
Core concepts
- SMS has four components: safety policy and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.
- Safety risk management uses hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation. A risk matrix combines severity and likelihood.
- The ERP sets out notification, command, communication, family assistance, and recovery procedures.
- Accidents and serious incidents require prompt notification to the appropriate authority; the operator must preserve records and evidence.
- In an emergency, the PIC has emergency authority; dispatch supports with information, coordination, and diversion options.
Worked example
A bird-strike report shows severity B and likelihood 3 on the operator's matrix, giving a medium risk. Mitigation might include runway inspection, bird-dispersal patrols, crew reporting, and a review of takeoff performance after a strike. The dispatcher records the hazard, tracks the mitigation, and monitors whether the risk changes. SMS is not a paperwork exercise; it must change decisions.
Traps
Treating SMS as a manual rather than a process; using a blame culture that suppresses reporting; delaying notification; and allowing commercial pressure to override emergency procedures. Also do not confuse an incident with an accident.