Reactive Hazard Identification: Information Sharing

From Concept to Practice in Reactive Hazard Identification

Earlier this month, in Learning from What Happened: Reactive Hazard Identification, we explored the concept of reactive hazard identification, understanding events that have already occurred to strengthen future defenses.

This week, we move from concept to practice and look at the methods we can use to identify hazards reactively. We begin with information sharing, both within the organization and across the wider aviation safety community, because lessons are only valuable when they are communicated and applied.

When it comes to safety, there is no competition — sharing knowledge strengthens everyone

Sharing Lessons Inside the Organization

Effective information sharing in aviation starts inside the organization. When an occurrence happens, capturing the lesson is only half the task, communicating it is what turns experience into prevention.

Proven ways to make internal sharing meaningful:

• Safety newsletters or intranet updates summarizing key events, corrective actions, and reminders.

• Concise safety or lesson-learned bulletins written in clear, practical language.

• Visual dashboards or “safety snapshots” highlighting trends noticed in reports.

• A close link with the training department so lessons learned feed directly into simulator sessions, line checks, and CRM training.

This partnership ensures that insights from operations and maintenance flow back into training, helping crews experience real-world scenarios before they reoccur. It builds a continuous learning loop — from event → analysis → lesson → training → improved performance.

Connecting with the Wider Aviation Safety Community

Reactive hazard identification becomes even more powerful when organizations look beyond their own experience. Participating in the wider safety community allows operators to learn from others before facing similar challenges themselves.

Key platforms that promote aviation safety information sharing include:

• EASA SAFE360° and the EASA Annual Safety Conference, which bring together regulators, airlines, and safety specialists to discuss current risks and best practices.

• The Airbus Flight Safety Conference, highly recommended for Airbus operators, provides an invaluable opportunity to exchange operational experiences, discuss system trends, and connect with peers.

• Workshops with SMS and safety-data system providers, where real cases are reviewed and analytical tools are refined.

These events are far more than formal presentations. They are interactive learning environments where safety professionals exchange lessons, strengthen professional networks, and often leave with ideas they can apply immediately.

“If it can happen there, it can happen here — unless we learn from each other first.”

By participating actively, you gain insight into hazards that might not yet have appeared in your own operation and can strengthen your defenses through education, procedural changes, or enhanced barriers.

Creating a Culture of Information Sharing

The most effective reactive hazard identification systems rely on open, trusted communication. Whether through an internal newsletter or an industry workshop, the goal is the same: transform isolated experience into shared learning. Information that flows freely upward, sideways, and outward, helps aviation as a whole move from reaction to prevention.

Conclusion

Reactive hazard identification does not stop with investigation. It reaches full value only when lessons are shared, internally with your own people and externally with peers across the industry. Every shared lesson strengthens the collective safety net that keeps aviation learning and improving.

When it comes to finance or marketing, airlines and organizations may compete, but when it comes to safety, there is no competition. Safety is the one area where sharing openly benefits everyone.