Voluntary Safety Reporting System

Voluntary Safety Reporting System

Subject – Defence and Security

Context – Online system for aviation safety

Concept –

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has introduced a Web-based system for voluntary reporting of incidents that pose a potential threat to flight safety.
• It said that to encourage voluntary safety reporting, besides e-mail and postal mode, Web-based reporting had been introduced on the e-GCA platform, which made the reporting mechanism more accessible to persons engaged in aviation related activities.
• However, the Voluntary Safety Reporting System was not a substitute for Mandatory Safety Reporting System that would continue to function.
• As part of the state safety programme, the DGCA had voluntary safety reporting system to facilitate collection of information on actual or potential safety deficiencies that may not be captured by the mandatory safety reporting system.
• The DGCA said that the reporting system would be non-punitive and would protect the source of the information. Anyone witnessing or involved or having knowledge of an occurrence, hazard or situation which he or she believes possesses potential threat to flight safety could report the same through the system on e-GCA or email or postal mode the contact details made available on the official website of the DGCA.
• The information collected through voluntary safety reporting system would be handled in a manner so as to prevent its use for purposes other than safety and shall appropriately be safeguarded.
• The confidentiality about the identity of the person making the report would be maintained. While anonymous reports would be accepted, the person may disclose his/her identity to enable contact if any part of the report needed clarification.