Safety Management System (SMS) Standard

Safety is a top priority for the aviation industry. To ensure the highest level of safety, the industry needs to adopt a systematic approach to managing safety risks and performance. This is where the international industry standard for Implementing a Safety Management System (SMS) comes in.

The international industry Standard for Implementing a Safety Management System (SMS) for Design, Manufacturing and Maintenance Providers has been developed within a joint working group, made up of association members from ASD Europe, Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA-USA), Aerospace Industries Association of Brazil (AIA-B), Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIA-C) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). 

The Standard was developed to enable the aviation industry to implement a Safety Management System (SMS) consistent with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Annex 19 Safety Management edition 2, appendix 2, to the convention on International Civil Aviation. It is intended to support demonstration of compliance with applicable SMS requirements from aviation authorities or for voluntary SMS implementation.

Although this Standard addresses implementation of the SMS elements within organisations responsible for aircraft, parts and appliance design, manufacturing and maintenance, it can also be used by organisations responsible for aircraft continuing airworthiness management, commercial or non-commercial (private) standard operations, training of crew and/or maintenance certifying staff, air traffic services, certified aerodrome as a baseline to implement an SMS, when acceptable to the relevant aviation authority.

Maintenance and oversight of the Standard is the responsibility of the International SMS Standard Steering Committee. The Steering Committee directs and supervises the maintenance, amendments and publication of the document.  Each association makes available to its members free copies of the Standard and ensures that their members are made aware of and agree to any future changes to the Standard. The regulatory authorities from the four Certificate Management Team (CMT) states have agreed to participate as observers and will utilise the Standard as much as possible in their regulatory development and encourage other ICAO member states to accept the Standard as a means of compliance with ICAO Annex 19, Appendix 2.