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The 'who, what, how & why' of the new regulation

Reporting matters is a not only providing in-depth information on the background and regulatory development of the European occurrence reporting framework but it also helps better grasping what has changed or why this regulatory expansion is a significant step. 

Occurrence Reporting in a nutshell

Everybody recognises that safety information is the lifeblood of every aviation system. However, under-reporting of safety incidents is still a very tangible phenomenon across the industry. When was the last time YOU filed a safety report?

The fear of prosecution or reprisals at company level after reporting an event is still very much present nowadays and it discourages aviation staff to report occurrences. The consequence: insufficient occurrence reporting, broken feed-back loop and reduced ability to pro-actively achieve safety improvements by learning from the past. This is why much effort is invested to encourage aviation professionals to report safety matters.

The new EU Occurrence Reporting Regulation is one key step in this direction as it sets a new framework to encourage and protect safety reporting by aviation professionals, including pilots.  Applicable as of 15 Nov 2015, this new piece of legislation requires aviation organisations in the EU to adopt and maintain a proactive Just Culture to facilitate the collection of key safety data and information and to protect the reports as well as the information.

But can we really expect any changes to the daily life of an airline pilots? YES! 

ORR poster
What changes? FAQ

The new EU Occurrence Reporting Regulation is a comprehensive framework and a set of standards for reporting, collecting, storing, protecting and disseminating the relevant safety information. It also introduces requirements on information analysis and adoption of follow-up safety actions at national level. Here is our list of frequently asked questions for your review e.g.

  1. Am I under a legal obligation to report events?
  2. Can other persons report as well?
  3. What if I don’t report?
  4. Where / to whom do I Report?
  5. What should I report?
  6. What is the deadline for reporting?
  7.  Is there a new form & format for reporting?
  8. Is my report confidential? Is it anonymous?
  9. Can my report be used against me?
  10. Can I report directly to my National Aviation Authority?

* full list available here

Just Culture Ambassadors

A Just Culture Ambassador is someone, who due to his experiences, know-how and personal drive towards Just Culture and safety matters, was appointed to convey the important messages the new Occurrence Reporting Regulation (ORR) carries. ECA is proud to have seven outstanding Just Culture Ambassadors on board from all different walks of life. 

Our Just Culture Ambassadors grasp a solid understanding of the new ORR; thus, through their actions, they aim to reinforce trust in the reporting process, and strive to emphasise the importance of confidentiality and protection of a reporter. 

 

In these videos ECA Just Culture Ambassadors share their authentic experiences on why Just Culture and safety reporting really matters.