Chapter 4
Introduction to Safety Management Systems
1. In your own words, what is a Safety Management System (SMS)?
Open-ended response that should go toward SMS being the application of general
business management practices to the active management of organizational safety and
2. What are the primary features and components of SMS?
Safety policy, safety risk management, safety promotion, safety assurance. SMS is
3. How can an SMS have a positive impact of the safety culture of an aviation organization?
On its overall culture? )?
Open-ended response that should go toward SMS fostering the development of an
4. Describe in detail how an SMS can help an organization transition from reactive response
to proactive response to a predictive approach?
Open-ended response that should go toward SMS being forward looking and encouraging
reporting of safety concerns, providing SMS training to employees, becoming proactive
5. What similarities exist between ICAO and FAA requirements and guidelines for SMS
development and implementation? Explain.
6. Name and discuss in detail the eight components of safety management.
1. Commitment of Senior Leadership to Safety Management: An organization’s
2. Effective and Consistent Reporting of Safety Issues: In order to be effective, the
4. Investigation of Accidents and Other Events: Events should be thoroughly
investigated to determine all causal factors and to develop effective, specific
5. Sharing Safety Lessons Learned and Best Practices: Sharing safety-related
information within the organization and with other entities is potentially beneficial to
6. Safety Training for Operational Personnel: Providing specific, comprehensive safety
7. Effective Implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Everything
8. Continuous Improvement of the Overall Level of Safety: In order to ensure the
7. Why is it important to include aviation stakeholders in the SMS process for an
organization?
Discussion should go toward stakeholders having a clear interest in aviation safety and
will bring a unique perspective and varied areas of expertise to the SMS process.
8. How might an SMS assist an aviation organization with the process of risk management?
Explain in detail; be specific.
Discussion should go toward through providing a process for hazard identification
9. Why is having an employee reporting process an essential component of SMS?
10. What are the three ICAO SMS features described in this chapter? Discuss each of the
three features in detail.
Systematic, proactive, explicit. Systemic means that safety management programs and
initiatives are applied throughout the aviation organization as part of their overall
11. Conduct your own research outside this chapter and explain how the ICAO and FAA
SMS features are aligned with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
9000 and 14000.
Open-ended individual response based on students’ research.
12. From a global perspective, why is SMS standardization important from nation to nation?
Open-ended response that should go toward SMS providing a global safety process that