An aviation safety management system (SMS) has been repeatedly defined as a formal, systematic approach to managing safety, including necessary
Implementing an SMS offers aviation service providers a simple, organized approach to preventing accidents, incidents, and irregularities. But there are more benefits to implementing an SMS. Furthermore, there are other opportunities available as you address SMS regulatory requirements.
SMS is considered smart business management with incredible potential to reduce risk to assets. Successfully implemented SMS improves safety performance, which consequently leads to a more profitable business. SMS is a process.
SMS is your tool. Just like any other tool, SMS only works if you work it according to the established design principles - and these principles make sense, rather easy to adopt for all but the most toxic safety cultures.
In short, SMS:
But there are many risks to both
SMS is not just for airlines and airports. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires safety management system implementation by the following aviation service providers:
Since November 2006, aviation service providers that operate under the jurisdiction of ICAO member states have been required to implement formal aviation SMS. The United States took the exception with the ICAO mandate and subsequently delayed SMS implementations. However, there were a couple of U.S. voluntary SMS initiatives that many airlines, airports, and charter operators participated. These were called "SMS Pilot Projects."
In January 2015, SMS became required for part 121 operators in the United States. We can expect U.S. airports and charter operators to follow next. Aviation maintenance organizations always seem to follow airports and part 135 charter operations.
Many proactive FBOs also have implemented SMS, though I have not heard of much regulatory oversight with FBOs yet.
If you are in the United States, FAA safety professionals prefer to call aviation safety management systems "SMS" and not "SMS program." They want to differentiate SMS as a system and not just another one of the FAA's multitude of "programs."
The FAA folks can become very insistent when you call SMS an "SMS program." You may notice that we are trying not to offend the FAA any longer and are reworking many of our materials to align with FAA preferences. Personally, it really doesn't matter much to me, but I know that when safety managers are searching the web for training and resource materials for their SMS implementations, they will naturally search for "aviation SMS", "aviation SMS program" or "SMS program."
At your company, call SMS whatever gets the point across. SMS for the layman means "short messaging service" which is the technology behind text messaging. The point is that if you are speaking to an FAA inspector and you say "SMS program," don't be surprised by an upraised eyebrow or an indignant comment that "SMS is not a program, it is a system." I say "Fine, call a dog a chicken, but the dog will still taste like a dog." I could argue this point in other ways, but what's the point? I'll call it an SMS in the interest of being a "team player."
Many mid-sized to larger aviation organizations readily see the benefits of Quality Management Systems (QMS). In fact, there is less resistance to implementing QMS than SMS.
So how does an SMS relate to a QMS? An SMS contains many of the same elements of a QMS, yet focuses on safety. While QMS programs focus on internal quality assurance procedures and are customer-focused, an SMS enhances the QMS by adding a risk-based approach to the
Super-charged QMS can meet SMS expectations while providing:
It will be easier to implement an SMS if you already have QMS. There will be less resistance to change from upper-level management as they already understand how predefined, industry-accepted practices add "financial" value to operations.
When an operator does not have an existing QMS and is in the process of implementing an aviation SMS, the operator should be encouraged to think outside the box and incorporate QMS features and processes into the SMS. Otherwise, the operator is wasting an opportunity to use a very solid risk management methodology to improve operations from a different perspective, including:
An SMS can be considered the bonafide, but benevolent Trojan Horse, but inside is not a bunch of Greek warriors ready to jump out, or a virus that will harm computers. This SMS Trojan Horse, once implemented in an organization, can be used to improve processes and procedures that extend beyond the standard SMS regulatory requirements. There are hidden, business-improvement gifts awaiting aviation service providers.
But first, they need to change their mindset from:
to
For safety managers facing management resistance toward SMS implementations, there is good news. There are many common elements to SMS and QMS programs. Aviation service providers with functioning QMS programs are already most of the way towards SMS implementation.
Improving your safety culture will come naturally with the SMS implementation, including:
There are more benefits of aviation SMS implementations, but I'm sure you are tired of reading about these benefits in regulatory documentation.
Implementing a fully functioning aviation SMS may appear daunting to most safety managers. Empirical evidence suggests that three to five years are required for most aviation cultures to accept the "new way of doing business," that is,
Aviation SMS are elephants when one considers all the elements in the four pillars. But just like eating an elephant one bite at a time, SMS implementations are manageable by breaking up the SMS implementation into smaller tasks. SMS are marathons, not sprints.
SMS is a requirement for most aviation service providers. This does not negate the resistance safety managers face from other managers.
For many managers outside the safety department, "SMS requirements" are the safety department's problem. One effective strategy that helps minimize resistance to SMS implementations is to equate the benefits of SMS to QMS.
Showing management that SMS makes good business sense logically helps reduce resistance to regulatory requirements demanded by an SMS. This is particularly important when the safety team is competing with a budget!
Why should we implement SMS programs? If you can answer this question convincingly to other managers, you have one required skill to become a safety manager.
While QMS focuses on customers and quality control, aviation SMS places focus on "safety" using prescribed risk management processes. Safety risk management (SRM) and safety assurance (SA) processes are distinct differences in the SMS. SMS shifts management's focus from quality-control processes to addressing the repeatable, circular process of:
The last paragraph sums up the high points that differentiate SMS from QMS. Policy and promotion are common elements of not only QMS but every ISO standard, including quality, environmental and health and medical.
For operators who have a fully functioning QMS, you should focus on SMS documentation requirements from the perspective of how to use existing data management systems to capture and manage all the SMS documentation. You can expect SMS auditors to come to visit your operation.
Consider how you plan on providing auditors a view of your SMS without confounding and overwhelming them with QMS data. If you have a flexible database that allows an administrator to isolate and categorize safety-related details from quality, then you are off to a good start.
A foreseeable challenge will be that the SMS' SRM and SA processes may not be easily managed in existing QMS data management tools. In this case, you have two options:
If you need an SMS database that is flexible enough to capture QMS data as well as SMS, environmental, and HR (and other) requirements, then you may consider SMS Pro. Below are some short videos to explore the system. You may also learn what is actually involved in an SMS by reviewing these demo videos. After watching these demo videos, you may want to see a live demo where you can ask questions.
We are here to help. We want to be your SMS partner.
No strings attached. Schedule a live demo when it is convenient for you.
Last updated November 2023.