Cincinnati-based specialized aviation services company ARG/US on Thursday released an on-site safety audit report focusing on commonly seen deficiencies in safety management systems (SMS) and emergency response planning (ERP). The report is based on 116 audits of Part 91 and 135 operators conducted by ARG/US between Jan. 1, 2007, and Feb. 28, 2009. “Each year we audit a significant number of both Part 91 and Part 135 operators and in so doing gather vast amounts of information on safety programs,” said ARG/US president Joseph Moeggenberg. “By summarizing the common problem areas found in SMS implementation and execution, we can provide operators valuable information to improve their own SMS efforts.” According to the company’s data, the majority of the audit findings–65 percent to be exact–point to a deficient internal evaluation program, a critical part of an SMS since it is designed to uncover latent process or program deficiencies within operations and maintenance focus areas before they become causal factors in an accident or incident. SMS manuals and training were also a problem at about half of the audited operations. As for ERP deficiencies, blood-borne pathogens and personal protection equipment training and drills topped the list. Free copies of the audit report results and recommendations can be downloaded here.