The Safety Data Graveyard: Are You Collecting the Right Data to Improve Airport Safety?
Airports and aviation organizations collect mountains of safety data—inspection reports, work orders, training records, flight operations logs, safety meeting minutes, irregular operations reports, and more. Yet, for many, this data sits untouched, gathering digital dust in databases and folders. The result? Missed opportunities, blind spots, and risks hiding in plain sight.
Here’s the core question: Are you collecting the right data to gain meaningful insights, or are you just gathering numbers without context?
Why Data Alone Isn’t Enough: A Lesson from Toronto Pearson
When I started as Manager of Safety Programs at Toronto Pearson, the team had been asking airport employers how many worker lost-time injuries (LTIs) they had recorded in the past quarter. The number itself—“14 LTIs this quarter”—seemed useful at first glance. But when we tried to act on it, we hit a wall. What kind of injuries? Where did they happen? What were the workers doing at the time? How long were they off work?
Without this context, we couldn’t create targeted programs to prevent injuries. So we changed the approach: we built a data collection tool that asked better questions—about the tasks, locations, job functions, and duration of lost time. Suddenly, patterns emerged: a particular type of task, a specific area of the airport, a piece of equipment. With this level of detail, we could implement programs that actually reduced injuries.
That’s the power of asking the right questions.
Data: A Tool or a Trap?
Many airports collect vast amounts of data—on inspections, hazards, work orders, irregular operations, gate changes, and more. But few connect the dots between the data and real safety or operational improvements.
This disconnect happens because:
Data is too generic. Numbers alone (e.g., “12 inspections completed”) don’t tell you where or why issues are recurring.
No one is reviewing the data. It’s stored, but not analyzed.
The wrong questions are being asked. Data without context is like a puzzle with missing pieces.
Tools aren’t connected. Safety data in one system, maintenance in another, operations elsewhere. Without integration, insights get lost.
The Dashboard Difference
Tools like Wombat Safety Software can help you make sense of your data—provided you’re feeding them the right information. Dashboards are powerful for spotting trends, recurring issues, and emerging risks if your data has depth and relevance. But if you’re only tracking basic counts, you’ll get basic charts—and no real insights.
For example:
Are your inspections identifying the same issues repeatedly?
Are certain defects appearing at the same locations over time?
Do your irregular operations reports point to patterns in delays or gate changes that impact safety?
Are You Asking the Right Questions About Your Data?
Here are a few to get you started:
Who reviews your inspection reports, and how often?
How do you know from your reports if the same issues are recurring?
Who is responsible for identifying and addressing recurring issues?
What happens when a recurring issue is found—what is the process?
How are you using safety data (inspections, work orders, irregular ops, etc.) to improve operations and safety?
How are you ensuring your data collection tools are delivering value, not just costs?
Do your safety reports align with your hazard register and safety risk profile?
Are you reviewing the right data to meet your safety goals and objectives?
Making Your Data Work for You: The Acclivix Advantage
At Acclivix, we help airports unlock the potential of their data. We work with you to:
Define the right data points based on your risk profile and safety goals.
Connect the dots across safety, maintenance, and operations.
Implement dashboards using tools like Wombat or even your existing system.
Train your team to interpret data and take action.
Develop a data review strategy: What to review weekly, monthly, and annually.
Don’t let your safety data become a digital graveyard. Let’s make it a living tool that improves safety and drives smarter decisions.
Download our free Data Health Check Worksheet and review it with your team.