Dominant Factors Responsible For Air Disasters Identified
| Human errors contribute more to aircraft incidents and accidents than any other single factor, participants At AIB-N,LAAC Conference have confirmed. . In a communiqué issued at the end of the one day conference with the theme “PREVENTION OF HUMAN FACTORS IN AIR ACCIDENT OCCURRENCES”, participants agreed that air accidents are dominated by human factor failures The conference was an avenue for industry players, stakeholders, government agencies, analysts and friends of the industry to express their views on how safety can be enhanced in the Nigerian aviation industry. According to the communiqué, participants strongly advised that it is important to ensure a reduction in air accidents in Nigeria especially those that have to do with human factors, noting that aviation accident is a global tragedy. Stakeholders lauded AIB for contributing to a reduction in air accidents and serious incidents in Nigeria through implementable safety recommendations. Participants agreed that for substantial progress in air transportation safety to be achieved, it is necessary to focus on the most frequently occurring air accidents, such as the Controlled flight Into Terrain (CFIT) and runway excursions. Respective authorities were asked to focus on the phases of flight especially at its beginning (takeoff) and end (landing). Regulatory authorities were asked to enforce implementation by certified entities and licensed personnel to prevent reoccurrence and improve safety records. The communiqué indicated that human Factors in aviation occurrences are most times seen as the negative consequence of the liveware dimension in the interactive ecosystem. Stakeholders were called upon to critically review the relationship between the liveware and hardware component as automation may not necessarily prevent accident. Participants say humans are the weakest weak links in air safety. Aircraft manufacturers have put in processes and measures on how to choose, train and retrain personnel. Stakeholders in the sector in Nigeria canvass for the adoption of SHEL Model (Software, Hardware, Environment, Liveware) to mitigate air accidents and serious incidents. Aviation according to the communiqué ,needs interrelationship between the live wire (humans) and hardwire (machines) components to prevent human errors in air accident. Intermodal investigating agency will lead to improved safety not just in the aviation industry, but in every mode of transport. Attendees at the conference are of the view that training and retraining is a major factor to mitigate air accidents and serious incidents in the sector. Participants called on the Federal Government, especially the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to improve communication equipment between pilots and towers and ground-ground communication. Employers were charged to have a one-one relationship with their employees in order to increase safety and reduce human factors in air accidents and incidents. Participants charged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to increase unscheduled inspection on aircraft and technical personnel especially at the airside. Operators were advised to strictly adhere to the quality assurance system for better productivity and safety environment. Stakeholders recommend the establishment of a laboratory by the Joint User Hydrant Installation (JUHI) operators at the airport in order to improve the quality of Jet A1 (Aviation Fuel) procured in Nigeria. |
