ICAO SMS Module 8: Safety Policy and Objectives

Study Notes

The Accountable Executive must have full authority for human resources issues, authority for major financial issues, direct responsibility for the conduct of the organization's affairs, and final responsibility for all safety issues.
Safety responsibilities, accountabilities, and authorities shall be documented, communicated throughout the organization, and include a definition of the levels of management with authority to make decisions regarding safety risks tolerability.

The job description of each senior manager (departmental head or responsible for a functional unit) should include safety accountabilities and responsibilities regarding the operation of the SMS, in addition to specific responsibilities for the department/functional unit operation.

The ICAO SMS framework consists of:
- Safety policy and objectives
- Safety risk management
- Safety assurance
- Safety promotion

The organization shall identify a safety manager to be the responsible individual and focal point for the implementation and maintenance of an effective SMS.
The safety manager's functions include:
- Managing the SMS implementation plan on behalf of the accountable executive
- Facilitating hazard identification and risk analysis and management
- Monitoring corrective actions to ensure their accomplishment
- Providing periodic reports on safety performance

The SAG oversees operational safety within the functional area, resolves identified risks, and assesses the impact on safety of operational changes.
The SAG implements corrective action plans, ensures that corrective action is taken in a timely manner, reviews the effectiveness of previous safety recommendations, and promotes safety.

The SRB is a high-level committee that monitors safety performance against the safety policy and objectives, the effectiveness of the SMS implementation plan, and the effectiveness of safety supervision of sub-contracted operations.
The SRB ensures that appropriate resources are allocated to achieve the established safety performance and gives strategic direction to the SAG.

The organization shall ensure that an emergency response plan is properly coordinated with the emergency response plans of those organizations it must interface with during the provision of its services.
Emergency response planning outlines in writing what should be done after an accident and who is responsible for each action.