Safety Management System the Evolution

Safety Management System

The evolution of aviation over the century or so of its existence has occurred with the evolution of safety. This has particularly been the case since aircraft have been used commercially, which vastly increased the use of aviation by the public. As such, the safety of non-professional persons onboard aircraft became a top concern. The latest development in aviation safety is Safety Management Systems (SMSs).

SMSs have evolved over time to address the preventative action that can still be taken towards the safety of aircraft, crew, and passengers today. In investigating air traffic accidents today, potential points of preventative action are revealed. Determining preventative action that can be taken towards aviation safety is the focus of Safety Management Systems. There are four components inherent in SMSs. These include Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion.

Safety Policy is a component that concerns the commitment of senior management to the continual improvement of safety. Organizations are to focus on this aspect by implementing methods, processes and structure to meet the established safety goals. The policy and processes that are created in this way are then fully documented. This includes an employee reporting and resolution system, as well as accountability of all management personnel and employees.

Safety Risk Management is a component that focuses upon determining the need for new or revised risk controls. As such, existing controls are examined and the acceptability of risk determined. This includes a formal process that starts by describing the system, identifying, assessing, analyzing, and controlling risks.

Safety Assurance involves the evaluation of effectiveness in terms of risk control strategies that have been implemented. This is a continual process which includes the identification of new hazards.

Safety Promotion entails actions such as training and communication that ensures that a positive safety culture is cultivated throughout the workforce. This applies to all levels of the organization. The principle behind this is that every person within the organization has a role in promoting safety.

The organization's role when implementing this system is therefore to examine the way in which its operations and decision-making processes interact. The results of this examination should be used to improve the actions that are taken to prevent malfunction or accidents. Another component of the organization's function is to use employee reports and data to improve the prediction methods for potential hazards. This information will then be used to analyze risks, as well as for the assessment and control of potential hazardous situations.

When implementing SMS, the system will also function to help aviation organizations to comply with existing regulations. The need for future action in this regard will be predicted by a knowledge and information sharing function.