Why is a Safety Management System (SMS) essential

to modern airline operations?

An effective safety management system uses risk and quality management methods to
achieve its safety objectives and is a systematic approach to managing safety, including
the necessary organisational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures. In
addition, SMS also provides the organisational framework to establish and foster the
development of a positive, corporate safety culture. The implementation of an SMS
gives the organisation’s management a structured set of tools to meet their
responsibilities for safety as defined by their regulator.

ICAO Document 9859

The ICAO Safety Management Manual (ICAO Document 9859) stipulates that individual
CAAs are required to formulate a State Safety Program (SSP) which is an integrated set
of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety. All service providers within the
aviation industry are required to establish their own Safety Management Systems
(SMS).

The SMS is an enterprise-wide undertaking and should be considered as part of the

normal business processes. It is established using four main components: