1. What is a safety management system (SMS)?

 A safety management system is a system that companies implement to help them systematically manage the

health and safety elements in their work environments.

 While smaller companies might not need an official system in place to manage occupational health and

safety concerns at first, it eventually becomes crucial for them, as they grow, to set up

a comprehensive and formalised safety management system.

 An SMS is a comprehensive and integrated system that ensures that all work at the facility is conducted
safely
 It should be fully documented, accessible and comprehensible to those that need to use it
 It recognises the potential for errors and establishes robust defences (control measures) which are
fully implemented, to ensure that errors do not result in accidents or near misses
 It is comprises a set of work practices and procedures for monitoring and improving the safety and
health of all aspects of the operation

2. Elements of SMS

There are probably as many different types of safety management systems as there are businesses. An
integrated Safety and Health Program is a systems approach for identifying, evaluating, analyzing, and
controlling workplace safety and health hazards. This includes developing systematic policies, procedures,
and practices fundamental to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. The Oregon
OSHA Safety and Health Program model, which I believe is very effective, contains seven elements.

Element One: Management Commitment

The manager's attitude toward safety and health is reflected in everything said and done: every decision
made and action taken. Employees respond positively to tough-caring leadership. The manager demonstrates
touch-caring leadership by insisting on high standards to keep everyone injury-free.

Element Two: Accountability

Effective accountability links the performance of responsibilities to effective consequences. As a business

owner or manager, you are responsible for making your business a successful one. "Passing the buck" isn't an
option. When Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here," he meant that he was responsible for his decisions
and he accepted the consequences that followed them.

Element Three: Employee involvement

Effective safety and health programs involve employees who have a stake in the program's success. One of the
best ways to involve employees is through a safety committee: a group of employees representing labor and
management, and responsible for promoting workplace safety and health.

Element Four: Hazard Identification and Control

Hazard identification and control is a vital element in the program. It is a system to identify any existing
or potential dangers in the workplace, then following through to eliminate or control them. If hazardous
conditions occur, or reoccur (the effect), there is a breakdown somewhere in safety management system (the
root cause).

Element Five: Incident/Accident Analysis

Despite your best efforts, you may not be able to prevent all workplace incidents (non-injury events) and
accidents. Most incidents and accidents are the result of preventable, but underlying safety management
system design and/or performance failures (root causes). Examples include one or more of the following five
poorly designed or performed system components:

1. leadership by example

2. management of resources and psycho-social support

3. enforcement of safety policies and rules

4. supervision of work

5. safety training

Element Six: Educating and training

Your employees need to know about the workplace hazards to which they may be exposed, how to recognize the
hazards, and how to control their exposure. The best way for them to gain this knowledge is through
education and training. Why education and training? Education teaches why safe practices and procedures are
important; education affects attitudes about safety and attitudes affect behavior. Training, on the other
hand, improves skills necessary for working safely.

Element Seven: Reviewing and evaluating

At least once a year, take time to review your program's strengths and weaknesses. You might want to begin
by gathering the information that will help you accomplish the review. Review the past year's accident
reports. You'll want to ask questions like:

 Were the incident/accident analyses thorough?

 Did they identify hazards and recommend how to control or eliminate them?

 Have you acted on the recommendations?

 Do workers need more training or education to enhance their knowledge and skills in these areas?

3. Categories of Elements
4. Implementation

https://www.slideshare.net/engkhanmsh/safety-management-system-sms

https://www.oshatrain.org/courses/pages/703system.html

https://www.oxbridgeacademy.edu.za/blog/learn-how-to-implement-a-safety-management-system/

https://www.slideshare.net/OFFSHC/offshc-sms