SAFETY
MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
Condition where
risks are managed
to acceptable levels
Allocation of
resources
Organized set of
principles,
programs, processes
and procedures
A Safety Management System (SMS) is:
“A systematic approach to managing safety, including the
necessary organizational structures, accountabilities, policies
and procedures.”
ICAO Doc. 9859, Sec. 1.4.2
▪ It is believed that the Federal Aviation Administration will
soon mandate that operators of jet aircraft and/or aircraft over
12,500 lbs. develop and deploy SMS programs.
▪ SMS will enable the operation to become a proactive versus
simply reactive enterprise by actively seeking safety information
that uncovers latent conditions and active failures.
▪ At all levels of the organization, it is simply good business.
Management
commitment and
responsibility
Safety accountability
of managers
Appointment of key
safety personnel
SMS Implementation
Plan
Coordination of the
Emergency Response
System
Documentation
Hazard
Identification
Processes
Safety performance
monitoring and
measurement
Risk assessment
and mitigation
processes
The management of
change
Training and
education
Safety
Communication
Just Culture
Internal Safety
Investigations
Continuous
improvement of the
safety system
Reporting Culture - Willing front line participation is
imperative because you are in direct contact with threats
Informed Culture - Effective require the collection, analysis
and dissemination of information from incidents and nearmisses, as well as proactive checks
Flexible Culture - Possessing the capability of adapting
effectively to changing demands (operational or safety)
Learning Culture – Willingness and competence to draw the
right conclusions from safety information and implement major
reforms where the need is indicated
Just Culture - A just culture is defined as an atmosphere of
trust in which people are encouraged and even rewarded for
providing essential safety information, but in which they are
also clear about where the line must be drawn between
acceptable and unacceptable behavior. A Just Culture is critical
for reporting, reporting is critical for learning, and learning is
critical for improving safety.
Threat - External events or errors, objects or conditions with
the potential to cause harm
Consequence - Foreseeable outcome of a threat described in
operational terms
Risk - The safety assessment of the consequence of a threat,
expressed in terms of probability and severity, often in
alphanumeric convention
The Safety Management System is a
social construct that welcomes,
encourages and shares responsibility
for continuous safety improvement
with everyone in the company.