SMS helps companies identify safety risks before they become bigger problems.
It is a documented management system that supports the safety decision-making process to identify and manage these risks.
SMS is also a business-like approach to safety. The aviation industry put safety management systems in place as an extra layer of protection to continuously improve safety.
SMS is about integrating safety into every aspect of the organization so that it becomes a part of the organization’s safety culture.
Industry groups can tailor the SMS within guidelines, to meet their unique operating requirements, but Transport Canada expects the company to measure how well their system works.