SMS is the formal process of using system safety practices in an organization's business activities to control risk. It is a data-driven and risk-based process to look forward, predict future safety needs and issues, commit resources and implement corrective actions.

SMS is envisioned for airports, air carriers, repair stations and manufacturers.
Objectives of the FAA ANPRM include collecting data about existing SMS programs, and for companies to share information about non-SMS programs that meet the same objectives as SMS programs. The ANPRM can be found online. The comment period is open through October 21, 2009.


How to Implement an SMS

Implementing a Safety Management System (SMS) requires the commitment of management and employees, a thorough gap analysis and culture assessment, and a concise and accurate documentation of processes.

From the onset, management commitment and a clear company policy are needed. Once managers have a good understanding of the required components for an SMS, it is possible to make an outline plan for its implementation.

While it is essential that top management commit to improving safety, it is equally important that employees feel they have the support of management that values their input and is responsive to their contributions and ideas. All employees should have the opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of the SMS and believe in the risk assessment and mitigation solution processes that are put in place. Understand the importance of finding out their safety concerns at the outset. Encourage minority reports and opinions.

Once you have management commitment and are ready to implement the SMS, find out what components and elements are already in place, and identify the parts that are missing. This is called a gap analysis and is an excellent way to identify the areas that will need to be addressed. In an established organization, the majority of the SMS functions may already be in place.

Of equal importance to the gap analysis, is the culture assessment, which is level setting the safety culture of the organization. This can be done through surveys and interviews and is probably better handled through a third party that can objectively analyze and present the results.

Having completed a gap analysis and a culture assessment, it is important to ensure the effective functioning of current arrangements. Specifically, the company safety event reporting process needs to function smoothly and all personnel need to be encouraged to use the process to its full effect.

Although the steps to implementing an SMS are very logical and simple to follow, they can be fairly time consuming and manpower intensive at the start. It may be that having looked at what must be done at a company needs some outside help. While this could be helpful, the choice of the source of assistance must be made very carefully. It is no use buying a system off the shelf and then trying either to modify the system to suit company practice or, worse still, trying to modify company practice to suit the system.

The aim of any organization in implementing SMS is to 'write what you do and do what you write,' and no more. Only those tasks or actions and associated documentation that are required to make the SMS effective should be added.