Recommendation

I refer to your letter of 14 August 1998 concerning the Bureau
of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) report on operations in the
Sydney terminal airspace area (Investigation Report B98/90).



The report was initially considered by the Board Safety and
Environment Committee on 14 August 1998, the day the report was
formally issued by Government. Subsequently, the BASI report was
considered at the full Board Meeting, held on 21 August 1998.



The Board and Management of Airservices are affording priority
consideration to the BASI recommendations and findings. We will
work closely with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in assessing
the actions necessary to address the recommendations and findings
of the BASI report.

RE: BASI INVESTIGATION OF SYSTEMIC SAFETY ISSUES AT SYDNEY



I am writing in response to the BASI report on the Investigation of
Systemic Safety Issues at Sydney Airport.



The attached response provides details on Airservices ongoing
actions to address the recommendations. Airservices is working
closely with CASA to resolve the issues of mutual concern.



I must stress that this process is being approached with caution
and planning to ensure minimal disruption to the safe and efficient
operations of Sydney Airport.



Airservices will provide you with further reports on progress in
due course.



R980161 Airservices Australia review the relationship between
Sydney Safety and Quality Management Branch and the Sydney WU with
a view to developing procedures to improve the effectiveness of the
safety management system, thus contributing to the overall "safety
health" of Sydney WU operations.



The review of Sydney Management identified in R980157 above has
determined that a new position, Quality Manager, be created to
manage the Sydney Operations Safety Management programme. The
appointee to this position will liaise closely with the Sydney
Branch of Safety and Quality Management.

I am writing to provide a response to the BASI Systemic Review
of Airservices' operations at Sydney Airport and subsequent
investigations which have resulted in recommendations correlated
with that review.

Airservices has previously responded to the following
recommendations and has been advised that BASI has accepted those
responses and closed off any further action:



R980157

R980160

R980163



The following is a precis of the action Airservices is undertaking
in response to the remaining outstanding recommendations:



"R980161

Airservices Australia review the relationship between the Sydney
Safety and Quality Management Branch and the Sydney Terminal
Control Unit with a view to developing procedures to improve the
effectiveness of the safety management system, thus contributing to
the overall "safety health" of Sydney TCU operations."



A Quality Manager is now in place in Sydney Operations and the
position is responsible for the Safety and Quality Program for
Sydney Operations. Initiatives taken are also addressed in our
response to BASI Recommendation R9801156. A significant achievement
has been the establishment of a Safety Panel whose major task is to
review and direct action on recommendations resulting from
investigations and is chaired by the Quality Manager.



Sydney Operations has also taken the initiative to build a stronger
relationship with Airservices' Directorate of Safety and Standards
(DSS). This is demonstrated by the invitation to the local DSS,
Safety Manager to participate in the Safety Panel. There is also a
daily flow of information between the Quality Manager and DSS both
in subject matter specifically affecting Sydney Operations and on a
more general safety note. This can be shown by the flow of
information passed to Sydney Operations on TAAATS performance at
other locations which could impact Sydney Operations.



At the same time DSS is conscientiously focussing on becoming a
more service-orientated directorate. The Quality Manager is working
closely with DSS in Canberra to improve processes and information
flow between both parties e.g. "The Release of Safety Related
Information" in which corporate has sort feedback from the Sydney
Operations Quality Manager.



Airservices have further emphasised safety by both the conduct and
planned provision of identified safety management training covering
Legal Obligations, the Airservices Safety Management System and
Safety Case Workshops, curriculum approved by DSS.



Additionally, Sydney Operations is developing its Sydney Intranet
Web-site which will assist the staff in quickly viewing among other
information Procedures, Local and Management Instructions through
the Airservices AVNET.



As mentioned in response to R980156 we are planning to review and
update all existing processes generated by Sydney Operations in
support of its operational activities or in support of corporate
policies and procedural changes.



Note: This is considered an ongoing task for the organisation as it
matures in line with corporate initiatives and Business
Transformation. This approach can be demonstrated by the re-design
of the change process to produce a clearer approval process.

ATSB response is noted.



Line controllers may attend the Panel meeting and are encouraged to
do so. More often they attend for a specific purpose eg. the most
knowledgeable person about a particular subject.