By: Pepito R.

Marimon
Jr
Provides a systematic way to identify hazards and
control risks while maintaining assurance that these
risk controls are effective.
A comprehensive management system designed to
manage safety elements in the workplace. It includes
policy, objectives, plans, procedures, organization,
responsibilities and other measures.
Policy – Establish within policy statements what the
requirements are for the organization in terms of resources,
defining management commitment and defining occupational
safety and health (OSH) targets
Organizing – How is the organization structured, where are
responsibilities and accountabilities defined, who reports to who
and who is responsible for what.
Planning and Implementation – What legislation and
standards apply to our organization, what OSH objectives are
defined and how are these reviews, hazard prevention and the
assessment and management of risk.
Evaluation – How is OSH performance measured and
assessed, what are the processes for the reporting of accidents and
incidents and for the investigation of accidents and what internal
and external audit processes are in place to review the system.
Action for Improvement – How are preventative and corrective
actions managed and what processes are in place to ensure the
continual improvement process. There is a significant amount of
detail within each of these sections and these should be examined
in detail from the international labor organization – occupational
safety and health (ILO-OSH) Guidelines document.
• Safety plan – A safety plan is a strategic action plan that
forms part of the business plan. It analysis the current and
prospective risk for a company and charts how the risks will be
eradicated and controlled over a calendar period (the safety
plan must have a budget).

• Policies, procedures and processes – Policies,

procedures and processes include all safety paper
infrastructures within your company. This paperwork will
describe all safety behavior, expectations, record-keeping,
incident reporting, and incident notification documentation.
• Training and induction – depending on the nature of your
workplace (whether it is low-risk or high-risk). The training
content will depend on the level of risk the person is exposed
to., everyone who enters the workplace should receive training
on:
• the rules of your company;
• the rules of the site; and
• the rules of the location they are visiting.
• The training content will depend on the level of risk the
person is exposed to.
• Monitoring – Your obligations to monitor your workplace
depend on circumstances and need. Always consider the level
of risk. The higher the risk, the more frequent and detailed the
monitoring needs to be.
 Other times when monitoring will be necessary
include:
• to ensure that all risk has been covered by a new risk
assessment that has been carried out due to a change in
process, e.g. the installation of new workstations; and
• when an investigation takes place following an incident.
• Supervision – The only way to ensure your workers are
carrying out their safety obligations is to have adequate
supervision. The level of supervision required in your
workplace will increase if the level of safety control put in
place to reduce a risk is low, i.e. the less effective the control
measure used, the higher the level of supervision necessary.
• Reporting – The governance structure of your company
needs safety reporting at all levels, not just at board level.
• What is a safety management system(SMS)?
A safety management system is a series of defined,
organization-wide processes that provide for effective risk-
based decision-making related to your daily business.
• What does the SMS focus on?
SMS focuses on maximizing opportunities to continuously
improve the overall safety of the aviation system.
• What are the key processes of an SMS?
Hazard Identification – a method for identifying hazards
related to your organization;
 Occurrence Reporting – a process for the acquisition of safety
data;
Risk Management – a standard approach for assessing risks and
for applying risk controls;
Performance Measurement – management tools for analysing
whether the organization’s safety goals are being achieved; and
Quality/Safety Assurance – processes based on quality
management principles that support continuous improvement of the
organization’s safety performance.
• What are the roles and responsibilities within the SMS?
The senior manager/accountable executive is accountable for
establishing the SMS and allocating resources to support and
maintain an effective SMS; Management is responsible for
implementing, maintaining and adhering to SMS processes in their
area; and
Employees are responsible for identifying hazards and reporting
them.
• How will SMS benefit my organization?
Provides for more informed decision-making;
Improves safety by reducing risk of accidents;
Provides for better resource allocation that will result in increased
efficiencies and reduced costs;
Strengthens corporate culture
• What key qualities are evident in organizations with an
effective SMS?
A top-down commitment from management and a personal
commitment from all employees to achieve safety performance
goals;
A clear roadmap of what the SMS is and what it is supposed to
accomplish;
An established practice of open communication throughout the
organization that is comprehensive and transparent, and where
necessary, non-punitive.
• What SMS is not:
 Self-regulation / de-regulation;
 A stand alone department;
A substitute for oversight; or
An undue burden.
• What SMS does:
Builds on existing processes;
Integrates with other management systems by tailoring a flexible
regulatory framework to your organisation; and
Demonstrates good business practice.
• What is the difference between SMS and a flight safety
program?
A safety management system is primarily proactive/predictive. It
considers hazards and risks that impact the whole organization, as
well as risk controls.
• What is the difference between SMS and quality management
systems (QMS)?
 SMS focuses on the safety aspects of the organization.
 QMS focuses on the services and products of the organization.
 While QMS focuses on conformity, SMS focuses on hazards.
Both non-conformities and hazards can impact safety.
Both systems enhance safety and are essential and complimentary
management tools. You cannot have an effective SMS without
applying quality management principles.
• Planning – Is essential for the implementation of health and
safety policies. Adequate control of risk can only be achieved
through co-ordinated action by all members of the
organization. An effective system for health and safety
management requires organizations to plan to:
control risks
react to changing demands
sustain positive health and safety attitudes and behaviors
• Effective planning – Is concerned with prevention through
identifying and controlling risks. This is especially important
when dealing with health risks that may only become apparent
after a long period of time.
 Express management’s commitment to safety and clearly state
the policies, objectives and requirements of the SMS
 Define the structure of the SMS as well as the responsibilities
and authority of key individuals for managing the SMS
 Define each element of the SMS
 Convey the expectations and objectives of the SMS to all
employees
 Explain how to identify and maintain compliance with current
safety regulatory requirements.
• The policy is information which establishes a basic
requirement for how the organization functions (what you want
to do). It should be short and to the point. Customers should
also know what the organization is policies are so they can base
their expectations on them. Policies guide the development of
procedures.
• They will contribute to all aspects of business performance as
part of a demonstrable commitment to continuous
improvement. Cost-effective approaches in preserving and
developing human and physical resources and will reduce
financial losses and liabilities.