Premium on Safety - Issue 49, 2023 - 9

BEST PRACTICES
disparities should mitigate any safety issues and
capture any creative efficiencies.
One of the most significant
challenges transitioning into
SMS and safety culture is not
software and infrastructure
but widespread education
throughout your organization.
In a successful SMS, these disparities
are reported, and the whole system learns
and improves from honest, transparent
communication up and down the command
structure. Ultimately, revisioning the work
process results in greater safety, often with the
side benefit of greater efficiency. The important
point is that every level in the organization
must be aware, involved, and supportive for
SMS to succeed. Your SMS must be accessible
and flexible, tailored to your specific operation.
From this description, it should be evident
that one of the most significant challenges
transitioning into SMS and safety culture is
not software and infrastructure but widespread
education throughout your organization.
To succeed, your SMS must gain complete
acceptance throughout your workforce. The
people on the front line are the boots on the
ground. These are the people generating the
safety reporting. At the higher management
levels, there must be an authentic, no-reprisal
acceptance of honest mistakes and a willingness
to adapt and innovate. As mentioned
previously, SMS is a whole new way of doing
business and requires extensive education to
change minds and inspire cooperation. If there
is no cooperation, there are no safety reports
to communicate.
Some managers new to Safety Management
Systems panic when tasked with creating a
fully functioning SMS. They buy a " bolt-on "
system that often creates more problems than
it solves. Ironically, most SMS launches receive
limited initial activity. It takes time for your
team members to get comfortable with the new
safety culture and build trust. As time passes,
the volume and value of your safety reports
increase. There is usually plenty of time to
grow and iterate toward the most appropriate
software solution.
Regarding specific software tools, every SMS
must be visible and available to encourage
reporting and data collection. However,
this can be as simple as a Google form
attached to a spreadsheet available on every
employee terminal-see something, say
something. The most important concern
is creating a free flow of ideas rather than
fancy dashboards. Only when the reporting
volume overwhelms a simple system is it
time to expand and invest (and celebrate
some initial success). An overly complicated
initial SMS structure will likely create
more resistance than cooperation in
your organization.
Once an effective educational program
is deployed throughout a workforce, SMS
+
Click to
open larger
Image courtesy of the FAA
Safety Risk Management (SRM) and Safety Assurance (SA) are
the key processes of the SMS. They are also highly interactive.
Use the flowchart above to help visualize these components
and their interactions.
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Premium on Safety - Issue 49, 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Premium on Safety - Issue 49, 2023