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- IAA Safety Management Reporting Commended -

14 December 2012: In a month when the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport stressed the importance of the aviation sector to Ireland - employing more than 20,000 people and worth 4.1 billion to the economy - the country’s air safety regulator, the IAA, has been re-certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard for quality management. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has now held this standard for 15 consecutive years, having been one of the first Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP) in Europe to receive certification back in 1997.

 “Having the ISO 9001 badge shows our customers, and the wider aviation community, that we are committed to high performance and efficiency, said Paddy Kennedy, General Manager Corporate Affairs, IAA.  “We were one of the first ANSPs to be accredited to ISO 9001 fifteen years ago because we recognised the need for a quality management system that benefits our clients, our customers and our work.” NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) recently carried out an intensive week-long audit to assess the IAA’s management system, after which it accredited the organisation to ISO 9001 for a further three years. The audit identified four particular areas of strength in the IAA: excellent weekly safety management reporting within the Authority, right up to CEO level; excellent internal Quality Audit Program; introduction of new electronic briefing system; and enhancements in the Engineering areas. It identified no areas of weakness. “Receiving this standard is an independent endorsement of our systems and processes. Standards are central to our business - the business of safety. In fact, safety is what underpins the aviation sector. As the safety regulator, we are very proud that we are ranked in the top ten in the world in aviation safety by ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, above even such major players as the United States and most of Europe,” said Paddy Kennedy.

ISO 9001 is the world’s foremost quality management standard and this year marks its 25th anniversary. It sets out the essential requirements for a practical and effective Quality Management System (QMS) which is, in essence, a system for minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity.

The NSAI assessment was based on a review of the IAA’s documented system and a sample of records, activities and personnel. For the management system to be judged effective, NSAI assessed whether the management system is able to deliver to the company’s stated objectives; the objectives are aligned with the organisation’s polices; and continual improvement processes are active and capable of adding value.

ENDS

For further information contact: Tony Lane, Assistant Communications Officer, IAA Tel: 01 603 1199 / 086 791 1864