iQSMS Report Processing in Three Steps

iQSMS / July 17, 2024

Recently, we have shown you how iQSMS excels at streamlining safety reporting for the Reporters, but efficient processing of those reports is just as important. This article explores the 3 key steps in iQSMS report processing: Validation, Corrective Actions, and Closure. 

Step 1 - Report Validation
Before implementing corrective actions, accurate information about the reported event or hazard is essential. The validation stage involves a review of the submitted report in order to decide on the next steps. This includes:

 

Verifying Details: This is to confirm factual accuracy of reported events, dates, times, and personnel involved and all other important details. All fields of the report form can be reviewed and if necessary, questions can be sent to the reporter to get a full picture. 

To allow for proper routing and analysis, administrators can check whether the report is categorized correctly using the iQSMS event classification system. To improve accuracy and to further streamline this process, the iQSMS Ai Co-Validator can be configured to automate the forwarding of reports to the responsible departments.

Data Enrichment: Administrators can also add details that might be necessary for a complete understanding of the situation. iQSMS tracks whether information is provided by the Reporter or by an administrator and can provide a full history of each report.

Initial Risk Assessment: During the approval of the report, an initial risk assessment is performed. iQSMS supports different methods for this. Whether you want to use a simple risk matrix assessment or link the report with an existing assessment in Risk+, the choice is up to you. In addition, not safety relevant reports can be processed without assigning a risk rating.

At this step, the iQSMS Ai Co-Analyst comes in to provide even deeper insights into the reported event.

Once all information is verified and it has been determined that corrective actions shall be implemented, a due date and responsible users or departments can be assigned and a required corrective action can be requested. These responsible users or departments will then have to implement the required actions accordingly in the next step.

Risk Matrix Assessment during Report Approval in iQSMS
Step 2 - Corrective Actions
Once the report is validated, the assigned users will be informed and will be required to enter a corrective action plan and document the actions that they take over time –  preferably before the specified due date. Administrators, in turn, will be notified once these corrective or preventive actions are entered and can review and comment on them. As soon as it is documented that the reported event or hazard has been sufficiently addressed, the report can be closed by the administrators.
In order to support this process, iQSMS offers a variety of different functions to process the report:

 

  • Root Cause Analysis (RCA): To identify the underlying factors that contributed to the reported event, different tools like 5-Why Analysis or HFACS/HFACS-ME can be used to determine the root cause in iQSMS.
  • Civil Aviation Authority Reporting: iQSMS supports various authority reporting mechanisms around the globe. With ECCAIRS2 for example, compliance with the EASA reporting timelines and the correct transfer of data to your national CAA is ensured.
  • Classifications: iQSMS supports ADREP as well as IDX classification to comply with EASA as well as IATA data classification programs. Additionally, custom classifications can be configured depending on your organisations preferences.
  • Investigations: For more serious incidents, investigations can be added and performed on selected reports. ICAO Annex 13, MEDA and REDA as well as custom investigations can be implemented in the iQSMS Reporting Module.

Once the report is addressed as planned and final corrective actions have been implemented successfully, the report can be closed. 

Corrective Action Screen in iQSMS
Step 3: Report Closure & Feedback
At report closure, we encourage our users to provide feedback to the reporters. The closure stage involves the following steps:

 

Final Review: Before the report can be closed, all documented corrective actions are reviewed by the administrators. Only if the event or hazard has been correctly addressed and all necessary corrective actions have been taken, the report is closed and a final “Summary of Corrective Actions” is entered.

Feedback: We strongly believe that providing clear feedback to the reporter regarding the outcome of the investigation and implemented corrective actions is essential for a healthy Reporting Culture. In iQSMS, the “Summary of Corrective Actions” is entered at report closure and automatically forwarded to the Reporter in order to create  full transparency. If the report has been forwarded to a Civil Aviation Authority, iQSMS makes sure that a closure update is also sent to the respective authority. Additionally, a residual risk assessment can be performed to document the improvement in risk levels after successful implementation of corrective or preventive actions.

To provide you with information that goes beyond the scope of individual reports, iQSMS enables even deeper insights into your reporting data. With integrated statistics, data export capabilities and APIs, we ensure that you can make full use of the reports you collect.

Summary of Corrective Actions in iQSMS
Step 3 - Closing the Loop
Once the investigation is complete, the admin team can provide you with final feedback on your report. This includes a “Summary of Corrective Actions” to show how the reported incident or safety issue has been addressed. We are convinced that providing feedback is essential to keep the follow-up process transparent and to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

Equip your team with the tools they need to prioritize safety. The iQSMS Reporting Module is just one of our core modules available within the iQSMS suite. Get in touch with us today and find out how iQSMS can best support your organization!

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