Finding the right balance
19 SEP 2012
Just Culture: Finding the right balance between the aviation, judicial and political authorities
Aviation, judicial and safety authorities all have a say when accidents and incidents occur. But it is important that people are not unduly investigated and, perhaps, punished when their acts were not the result of gross negligence or a wilful violation. Establishing a Just Culture is important.
On 20-21 September, the Just Culture seminar, jointly organised by EUROCONTROL and DHMI in Istanbul, examines ways of applying Just Culture principles in organisations and institutions, while still taking account of the national or international legal environment.
Especially for this occasion, the Network Manager published an article signed by Roderick Van Dam, Chairman of EUROCONTROL’s Just Culture Task Force and Tony Licu, Head of EUROCONTROL’s Safety Unit.
In the article, they describe the essence of Just Culture and explain that EUROCONTROL’s focus has shifted towards initiating a dialogue with the judiciary authorities concerned.
Over the last few years, the concept of Just Culture has been explored in depth by aviation safety experts, investigators and rule-makers at national and international levels as well as by air transport and air traffic management operators. International organisations such as ICAO, IATA, IFATCA, IFALPA, ECA, EUROCONTROL and the European Union (EU) have also become increasingly involved.
In Europe, a key performance indicator in the EU’s Performance Regulation is for a State to have a Just Culture. A number of Just Culture-based practices now appear in the recently-enacted EU Accident and Incident Regulation. All this has put the topic firmly in the public domain.
Today, a dialogue with the national judiciary is being developed, inter alia, through the activities of EUROCONTROL’s Just Culture Task Force.
Read Roderick Van Dam and Tony Licu’s article
Useful links
- Just Culture website
- Just Culture on SKYbrary
- Istanbul seminar