Fortunately, accidents and serious incidents are very rare in aviation, so to improve aviation safety, low severity incidents or even latent conditions must be exploited as a source of information to identify early warning signs and to implement countermeasures. However, in general these events will only be known if the personnel involved reports them. The “Just Culture” aims to protect reporters in order to ensure this flow of information essential to aviation safety. Information from safety reports should not be used for any other purpose than to maintain or improve aviation safety. In particular, such information cannot be used for the purpose of apportioning blame or liability
Definition of just culture (regulation (EU) 376/2014):
“Just culture: A culture in which frontline operators or other persons are not punished for actions, omissions or decisions that are commensurate with their experience and training, but in which gross negligence, wilful violations and destructive acts are not tolerated.”
Regulation (EU) 376/2014 guarantees the just culture by the protection of reporters and other persons involved, as well as the protection of data collected for the purpose of improving aviation safety. However, there is an exception for cases of gross negligence or deliberate violation of rules.
Each organisation that is under obligation to maintain a safety reporting system must also establish internal rules that ensure the implementation of just culture applicable to persons it employs, contracts or uses the services of. These rules are established after consultation with its staff representatives.
What to do if you think that the just culture rules have not been respected?
Follow this link : Just Culture body