Issue: rate of organisational change

During the SSRP workshop operators raised the rate and pace of organisational change as an issue to the sector.

What can large helicopters operators do

Operators stated they face a range of organisational change. Threats identified include:

  • expansion into different commercial opportunities
  • implementation of new fleet types
  • post pandemic recovery
  • recovering from involvement in a natural disaster.

While operators said there was an appetite extra work, they noted the risks associated with resourcing and experience.

Operators need appropriate training in place to support less experience flight crew being promoted into key positions.

To ensure operators are effectively managing risks associated with organisational change, operators should use their safety management system processes. This can help manage change and any associated risk. This includes:

  • considering the compounding impact of other changes happening simultaneously within the organisation
  • making sure you consider the overall safety impact of all changes and include reporting into you aviation safety committees
  • integrating management of change and risk management procedures. Organisational change has impacts on business-as-usual activities. Always make sure you consider the impacts.

Make sure you consider the risk:

  • in the case for change
  • when implementing the change
  • after implementing the change.

What we are doing and already delivered

As part of the new regulatory reform management of change, we issued the following guidance material. This is to support organisations with managing change within the operation or a significant regulatory change:

We have published an SMS resource kit to develop your safety management system.

This kit is available to support organisations in developing and implementing an SMS including the management of change.

The 3rd Edition of the SMS Resource kit contains significant enhancements to guidance related to management of change.

Published date: 29 November 2023
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//index.php/larger-helicopter-sector-safety-risk-profile/issue-rate-organisational-change
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