| (Good) Safety Management
Systems have a logical structure just like any management
system, such as ISO9000 or ISO14000. Unfortunately, this
underlying common logical structure is not often highlighted.
It is a pity, because understanding it takes out most of
the somewhat "cryptic" or "highly administrative"
appearance that formal management system standards often
have on first sight. It also creates better understanding.
All management systems are based on the principles
of the management circle :
-
PREVENTION : Put in place controls to prevent mishaps
(incidents). ISO9000 focusses on preventing "quality
incidents". ISO14000 aims at preventing "environmental
incidents". Likewise, a Safety Management System
aims at preventing unsafe conditions, exposure, injuries
or fatalities.
-
VERIFICATION : Assuming that the controls put into
place effectively prevent incidents is not good enough
: you must make sure they do. That is verification.
-
INCIDENT and EMERGENCY HANDLING : despite our best
intentions, things can go wrong. The time an incident
or emergency occurs is not the right time to start thinking
what to do next. Emergencies (= incidents that require
quick response to avoid the problem from getting bigger)
especially can be very stressful and that certainly
does not help us to think clear. Just think how you
would feel to see your fellow worker severely injured,
or see a large fire at your workplace. So the key is
to be prepared for incidents and emergencies, and everybody
has to know what to do - or not to do.
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT : We rarely can put a
complete and perfect system in place right from the start.
And all too often we find that despite our best intentions
and judgment, there are oversights in our system. Also
: if you don't keep pushing the cart uphill, you can bet
it will go downhill. So a continuous effort is needed
to maintain and improve the system.
All procedures, work practices and skill and knowledge
development required for successful Safety and Health Management
fit into the above categories. That is the way we approach
course development.
You can download a presentation on this logical structure
which goes a little more in-depth. Use it to convince yourself
and your boss that you need a Safety Management System :
 The
Logical Structure of an SMS
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