3        In her opening address, Dr Amy Khor announced that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will be publishing a Singapore Aviation Sector Safety Culture Handbook in May 2024 to strengthen safety culture in the Singapore aviation sector. The handbook recognises that the building of a strong safety culture requires deliberate and active intervention by leadership and management at every level and in every part of the organisation, in close partnership with operational staff. Tailored to Singapore’s operating context, the guidance in the handbook is applicable to aviation companies and professions, including ATC, pilots and engineers. 

4        Safety culture is shaped by many factors such as organisation structures, socio-cultural norms, communication styles and team dynamics. The handbook explores these areas and provides practical guidance for strengthening safety culture, including “Do’s and Don’ts” and case studies. For example, it is important for organisations to strengthen processes to address new safety risks that may arise from an increase in air travel volume, changes in weather patterns and route adjustments. The handbook encourages management to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness and necessity of new operational procedures before implementation. Operational staff are encouraged to work with management on the design and implementation of these procedures and to give feedback if procedures are impractical, instead of ignoring or circumventing them.

5      The Singapore Aviation Sector Safety Culture Handbook is developed based on the findings of the Singapore Aviation Sector Safety Culture Survey conducted by CAAS last year and subsequent focus group discussions with management and workers. The survey showed that the Singapore aviation sector has a positive safety culture but more can be done to strengthen trust between management and operational staff and foster a positive safety culture amongst all aviation workers, particularly new entrants who joined the aviation sector. 

6       Singapore looks forward to continuing our close partnership with IFATCA and Member Associations in fostering a strong positive safety culture and advancing air traffic management to meet the needs across the aviation sector.