What is a Safety Management System (SMS)?

Understanding SMS and its importance in your organization.

A Safety Management System (SMS) is a process to help organizations reduce exposure to hazards and their associated negative outcomes. By proactively looking at risks that hazards create organizations can create a safer work environment for their employees and customers. This requires a positive culture and active engagement by all levels of the organization. Every member must be willing to identify potential hazards and take actions to mitigate or control the probability and severity of those hazards. Management and front line employees must know how each work task is performed to understand where risk exposure exists. Also, everyone must be willing to recognize when deviations from baseline procedures occur to further prevent increased exposure. SMS is a company-wide process that addresses safety issues in all aspects of the business, not just in a few areas. Organizations must see how the components of their system can influence individual performance.

Are you compliant with the new FAA SMS rulemaking?

In April 2024 the FAA released new SMS rulemaking. The FAA is now applying the FAR Part 5 SMS requirements to all part 135 operators and air tour operators with a LOA issued under § 91.147. Operators will have until May 28, 2027 to submit a declaration of compliance to the FAA that serves to document that the aviation organization has developed and implemented an SMS meeting the applicable requirements of part 5. The FAA will assess the aviation organization’s compliance with SMS requirements during its routine surveillance process.