SMS (Safety Management Systems Explained)

By Bryan P Bowie

SMS seems to be the aviation buzz word right now. ICAO is requiring that all member nations

require Safety Management (SMS) systems for certain operators. Many countries, like Canada,

already require safety management systems (SMS) for large aircraft. The US is currently

working on implementing a SMS requirement for Part 121, Part 135 and also Part 91 large

aircraft operators. Also if you go to Bermuda, you will be required to have an Safety

Management System (SMS) system in place or at least be working on one.

So what exactly is a Safety Management System (SMS) and is it complicated to start one? Well

first SMS is considered to be the next step in the evolution of aviation safety. These types of

systems are not just for aviation. Actually any business or organization could benefit from a

Safety Management System (SMS). You will find that Safety Management Systems (SMS) are

being used or developed for the management of other critical areas such as quality, occupational

safety and health, security, or the environment to name just a few.

Safety Management Systems (SMSs) do not have to be complex or overwhelming. Safety

Management Systems (SMS) are really just a change in the attitudes of safety in an organization

as a whole. With a safety management system, the whole company embraces the importance of

safety and then manages the company’s safety and risk to help to avoid accidents and incidents.

SMS is a proactive system to will integrate modern safety risk management and safety assurance

concepts into repeatable steps. Safety management systems emphasize safety management as a

fundamental business process to be considered in the same manner as other aspects of business

management.

Safety Management Systems (SMS) do not need to be difficult to develop, implement or to

manage. Safety Management Systems may seem complex at first glance but they are really quite

simple. The organization just needs to make safety its number one priority. The company would

then set up some simple procedures for promoting safety, reporting and tracking hazards and

making good decisions based on safety related issues. SMS may seem overwhelming at first but

it is not. You just need to promote safety reporting, track the reports and incidents and develop

procedures to reduce the risks based on these report and then follow up on your new procedures.

SMS is just a process of simple decision making skills that will be written down to mitigate

unsafe procedures, policies actions.

So what does a Safety Management System provide to a company or organization? It will

provide the following five items:

A structured way to make safety related decisions

A way to find and react to safety issues before an accident or incident

Do a better job of controlling risk though structured safety assurance processes

A way to share safety knowledge within the organization, between other organizations

including regulatory ones.

Procedures to promote safety so that the company has a sound safety culture

Remember Safety Management Systems do not need to be complex. A company just has to

decide to embrace the concept of safety and safety reporting. Once the Safety Management

System has been embraced by the organization, the company needs develop a safety reporting

system including tracking, analysis and follow up that will not result in punitive actions against

the reporter. Once this SMS reporting system is in place, the company will need to promote the

use of safety reports so that safety related issues can be located and corrected in a timely manner

before an incident or accident occurs. SMS is really that simple. So what is holding you back

from implementing your Safety Management Systems today? Do not wait; you should get started

developing your Safety Management System (SMS) today. It could save you from a catastrophe

looming right around the corner for your organization.