The aviation industry is embracing a transformative tool for safety culture assessment - the I-ASC (IATA Aviation Safety Culture Survey). Developed through collaboration between the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Cranfield University, and Ipsos, this standardized solution offers airlines a comprehensive approach to evaluate and improve their safety performance.
Core Features and Benefits
Quantifiable Safety Metrics
I-ASC operationalizes the abstract concept of safety culture into nine measurable dimensions:
- Leadership commitment to safety priorities
- Open reporting culture without fear of reprisal
- Fair and transparent incident investigation
- Organizational adaptability to changing conditions
- Comprehensive safety knowledge among staff
- Continuous learning from operational experience
- Proactive risk identification awareness
- Consistent adherence to safety protocols
- Positive organizational safety climate
Comparative Benchmarking
The tool enables both intra-organizational analysis across departments and external benchmarking against industry standards. This dual comparison capability helps identify performance gaps and best practices.
Risk Identification Mechanism
Through anonymous employee feedback, I-ASC surfaces latent safety concerns before they escalate into incidents. The confidential reporting structure encourages unfiltered input about equipment, procedures, and operational challenges.
Methodological Framework
The survey instrument comprises 60 carefully designed statements aligned with:
- ICAO's Safety Management System (SMS) framework
- IOSA standards and recommended practices
- James Reason's safety culture model
- Hudson's safety culture maturity framework
Standardized attributes include organizational hierarchies and IOSA-defined operational units, with customizable options for regional variations, tenure groups, and subsidiary comparisons.
Implementation Options
Three deployment models accommodate different organizational needs:
I-ASC Light
A self-service option providing basic benchmarking through an online dashboard with internal comparison capabilities.
I-ASC Standard
The comprehensive package featuring expert analysis, industry benchmarking, and actionable improvement plans.
I-ASC Custom
A tailored solution with post-survey consulting services for organizations pursuing deep cultural transformation.
Industry Adoption
Early adopters like Virgin Australia have utilized the tool for internal benchmarking across business units. "Comparative analysis between departments has proven valuable for identifying improvement areas," noted Michael Chapman, Safety Systems General Manager.
The aviation sector's increasing focus on safety culture measurement positions I-ASC as a potential industry standard for safety performance enhancement. The tool's multilingual capability (available in six ICAO languages) facilitates global implementation across diverse operational environments.