Risk is all around us, present in any human activity. The more complex the activity is, the more risk it brings. Airport operation is very complex. It is not possible for a single person or a single organizational unit to cover and manage all these risks. Managing risk requires input from a number of experts in many fields of airport operation. It requires a system, in this case a Safety Management System (SMS).

Tirana International Airport has created such a system with participation from a group of professionals from all departments which operate at the airport and impact the level of safety. In real-world operation, operational employees represent the most significant link in the SMS chain, because they are closest to operations.

Employees know from their training sessions that it is their eyes which are key for SMS. They are instructed to watch their surroundings carefully and if they see anything in breach of regulations, procedures or which generally breaches operational safety, to report it to their superiors or directly to [email protected] It is important to recognize risks and eliminate them, or, at least, prevent a chain reaction.

Risks are all around us, not only in aviation but in all human activity. It is impossible to avoid them totally but the operational Safety Management System may eliminate a number of them and diminish those that remain, allowing for monitoring and management, in short, for keeping risks under control. That makes the airport a safe place for aircraft, passengers and the employees who work there.