What is a Safety Management System?
A Safety Management Program (SMS) program is a formal business approach to safety risk management. This program is a complete approach to safety management, equipped with proper organizational structures, policies, procedures, and accountabilities.
According to Hudson (2001), a safety management system works in the best way when integrated in the organizational culture. Stand alone Systems for safety management in aviation can overlook errors and hazards. Small errors or hazards from one are may combine with others, resulting in an accident or incident (Reason, 2001).
According to CASA (2002), there are 10 basic steps in establishing an SMS. These methods involve
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- Gaining senior management commitment
SMS programs require involvement of all staff members in an organization. However, without the valued commitment of senior management, the SMS could fail to be effective. Senior management should demonstrate commitment to matters of safety and safety management systems. They should set safety policies and standards for the operation. Additionally, they should encourage participation in the process and allocate enough resources to the SMS as well as facilitate how safety information flows
- Setting the safety management objectives and policies
The purpose of setting objectives and policies is to outline what the organization plans to achieve in terms of safety and how it will achieve the set targets. Safety policies should outline the processes and methods that the organization plans to use in achieving the safety outcomes desired. This should be relayed through a written document.
- Appointing a safety officer
The safety officer is responsible for daily SMS operation of the organization. Large organizations may have a safety director or safety manager. The safety officer should always have an open communication line linking him/ her to the Chief Executive Officer. An open communication line ensures that attention is given to safety reports and their recommendations.
- Setting up a safety committee
The work of a safety committee is to assist the safety officer by offering advice and expertise, reviewing progress of incidences, reviewing audits, identifying hazards and mitigation strategies and reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.
- Establishing a risk management process
A hazard is a situation or event that may result in injury or damage. The purpose of this step is to allow management to assess risks and establish mitigation strategies. While undertaking this step, staff and management should consider the entire operation as a whole and as in constituent parts. This enables them to identify problem areas.
- Setting up a system to report and record hazards and risks.
A reporting system consists of a formal method for collecting, recording, implementing and giving feedback about risks and hazards in an operation. A reporting system should be set up to eliminate gaps in safety defenses. This helps to reduce incidents and accidents.
- Training and educating staff
Staff members should be trained on how to avoid incidences and accidents and what to do if they occur.
- Auditing the safety management operation.
This involves evaluating the SMS to establish whether there are gaps in its operation. Investigation of accidents and incidents is also done in this step.
- Maintain a documentation and data control system
The SMS should be documented and tailored to meet the needs of staff and operation. The documentation extent depends on the operation complexity as well as training, skills and competence of staff.
- Evaluation of the system
After the SMS system and its working mechanisms are in place. It is important to develop an evaluation system to determine how well the system is equipped to handle identify and report incidents and accidents.
References
CASA. (2002). Safety Management Systems: Getting started. A guide to setting up aviation Safety Management Systems, 1(1), 8-52.
Hudson, P. (2001).“Safety Culture: The ultimate goal.”(Flight Safety Australia, September October 2001)
Reason, J. (2001).‘In search of resilience’ (Flight Safety Australia, September-October 2001)
