The Face of a Safety Policy and SMS

The face of a Safety Policy and SMS

A Safety Management System (SMS) is not just paper documents written to sit on the shelf, but a down to earth system on how to manage safety. It is a system showing an outward safety face. An aviation operator must be able to identify and communicate how they conform to regulatory compliance and safe operation. SMS is the new way in safety by proactive management of causes and eliminate as many as possible of symptoms requiring reactive measures. The success of SMS may be by what face is picked. 

A rock-face SMS it is a rigid non-flexible system unable to conform to regulatory compliance. 

A rock-face SMS is a rigid and non-flexible system unable to conform to regulatory compliance. No matter how organizational factors, human factors or environmental factors change, the face of a rock does not change. It will stay its course comes hell or high water. A rock-face SMS simply becomes what it is, and only a severe blast may change the outlook, and may not have the ability to manage changes for safe operation.     

Face of a goat SMS and is a system where safety is actioned by instinct, inspired by the moment and risks are promoted. 

The face of a goat SMS is a system where an organization is living by the moment and action by instincts becomes their safety policy. This SMS will push the limits when climbing the latter to success and follow others on the ledge of a high cliff. An organization managing by instincts does not offer planning or risk-assessments, and only reacts when guided onto the bridge of danger. It could become an unmanageable task to make financial projections to management when safety is inspired by the moment. 

An SMS with a human face has capability to analyze, comprehend, design and inspire. 

A human face SMS is a system where an organization applies the; plan, do, check and act management method. This type of SMS has capability to document operations, communicate safety, analyze risks and design organizational systems. A human based SMS consider human, organizational and environmental factors. It is an organization where training programs are developed to improve technical skills and where causes are identified to eliminate symptoms. By putting a human face on an SMS, customer services are given opportunities to prosper, personnel feel good in a just culture, financial projections are managed and safe operation confirm to regulatory requirements.   

An effective SMS forms, shapes and develop programs for regulatory compliance and safe operation.

A large organization may communicate operational and regulatory compliance through several functional areas. In a small organization communication of regulatory compliance and management of safe operation on a daily basis may be communicated by one person who wears different hats of functional areas. When systems for regulatory compliance and safe operations have been identified operators have discovered their tools to be communicated and what face to put on SMS. 

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