GMR Consulting—Aviation Expert Witnesses

A Safety Management System (SMS) saves lives and prevents injuries. It provides a systematic way to identify hazards, control risks and assure that the risk controls are effective. The reactive, proactive and predictive management of hazards is essential. To be a credible aviation expert it is, in my view, necessary to be able to demonstrate mastery of this elusive subject.

An effective SMS should:

1. define how the organisation is set up to manage risk;
2. identify the risks inherent in aviation, the risks associated with a particular operation and implement suitable controls;
3. implement effective communications across all levels of the organisation;
4. implement a process to identify and correct non-conformities; and
5. implement a continual improvement process.

The terms hazards and risks appear interchangeable, but it is important to understand the difference. The identified hazard is something we want to prevent. The risk is a measure of likelihood and consequence and drives where we place our resources. If