External Safety Audit & Assessments

Service Description

Independent Third-Party Audits and SMS Assessments Internal reviews miss things. Not because internal teams aren't good, but because they're inside the operation, looking at work they helped build. An external audit gives you a clean read on where the SMS actually stands. We conduct third-party safety audits, FAA Part 5 compliance assessments, federal contract compliance reviews, and SMS maturity evaluations. (IS-BAO™ audits are handled under our IS-BAO™ service.)Audits conducted by an IBAC-accredited IS-BAO™ auditor with Lead Auditor training in ISO 45001, ISO 14001:2015, and AS 9110. What We Deliver 🔍 External Safety Audits Independent examination of SMS, policies, procedures, and operational practices. We assess risk management, incident reporting, corrective actions, and regulatory compliance — and tell you where the system is working and where it isn't. 📜 FAA Part 5 SMS Compliance Audits for Part 121 and Part 135 operators against the four pillars: policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion. We issue a Letter of Validation on completion — supporting evidence operators submit alongside their Declaration of Compliance to show the SMS is operating, not just documented. ⚖️ Federal Contract Compliance For DOI, USFS, BLM, and other federal operators, we audit against contract-specific safety requirements and identify deficiencies before the agency does. 🎯 SMS Maturity Assessment We benchmark your SMS against the maturity model — Pathological, Reactive, Calculative, Proactive, Generative — so you know where you sit and what the next stage looks like. 📋 Compliance Gap Analysis Pre-inspection review for operators approaching a regulatory milestone. Deficiencies identified, priorities set, roadmap delivered. Why External Audits Matter ✅ Honest read on where you stand ✅ Catches what internal reviews miss ✅ Regulatory confidence ✅ Insurance and board credibility ✅ Inspection readiness ✅ Continuous improvement "You can't improve what you don't measure."