Free resources
Free tools that help you improve your safety program
Things to use rather than things to file. Every tool here is free to use, every guide is free to read, and nothing on this page is a trial of anything.
Assessments, forms and guides
AssessmentSMS self-assessment against Part 527 questions, scored by sectionTwenty-seven questions about how your safety program runs, scored section by section against 14 CFR Part 5.
AssessmentSafety culture survey20 questions, two viewpoints comparedMeasure how management and crews actually see safety, and where the two do not agree.
TemplateHazard report formOne page, print or fill inThe hazard report we ship, as a form you can fill in and take away.
TemplateIncident report formOne page, print or fill inThe incident report we ship, as a form you can fill in and take away.
TemplateFlight risk assessment formOne page, scored before a flightA FRAT you can use before your next flight.
GuideRise Above the Risk12 chapters, free to readThe twelve key elements of an effective safety management system, and how to apply them.
Guide · no email neededThe safety program that lasts9 chapters, free to readNine chapters on building a program that holds up, written for any operation rather than for one industry.
ChecklistSMS software evaluation checklist15 questions to ask a vendorWhat to ask a safety software vendor, and what the answers should sound like.
AssessmentRisk tolerance worksheet12 questions, ends in two numbersTwelve questions on what your operation is exposed to, ending in the two numbers your matrix should use.
From the blog
Years of writing on running a safety program
Everything we have published, grouped by subject and free to read: how programs get built and kept running, what the frameworks actually say, how risk and audits work in practice, and what changes in an operation once reporting starts working. Pick a subject and read.
SMS fundamentalsWhat a safety management system is, what it changes in an operation, and who does what inside one.Implementing an SMSStanding one up: where to start, how long it takes, and how to roll it out without stopping the work.Compliance and regulationsWhat the frameworks say. FAA Part 5, ICAO Annex 19, EASA, and what changes when you fly internationally.Risk managementHazards, risk assessment, trends and the decisions that come out of them.Safety cultureGetting people to report, and what leadership does to make that safe.Audits and assuranceChecking your own work: audits, inspections, corrective actions and the evidence behind them.Technology and toolsSoftware, automation and AI, and what they change about how safety work actually gets done.The 12 key elementsA post on each of the twelve elements of a safety management system, in order.
Discover how RISE can empower your safety program
A guided walkthrough of how RISE handles reporting, evaluation, resolution and insight, with time to talk about how your own operation runs today.
