Safety Management Systems

What is a Safety Management System?

A Safety Management System (SMS) is a comprehensive management system designed to manage safety elements in the workplace. It includes policies, procedures, objectives, plans, organisation, responsibilities and other measures to manage significant safety risks. It provides a systematic way to identify hazards and control risks while maintaining assurance that these risk controls are effective and that the reduction of risk is as low as is reasonably practicable.

Why do I need a Safety Management System?

A SMS allows you to take a proactive approach to safety by identifying the causal factors that contribute to errors being made and taking action before an event happens. SMS helps you to have a greater understanding of the hazards and risks affecting the safety of your organisation. These hazards and risks could have a severe impact on your organisation in terms of loss of persons, property and prestige, as well as financial cost. An effectively implemented SMS will take your organisation beyond compliance with the regulations, promote a positive health and safety culture within your organisation, and reduce the likelihood of a serious incident occurring and causing harm as a result of the activities (acts and omissions) undertaken by your organisation.

Do I need to implement an ISO management standard?

An ISO management standard, such as ISO 45001 – Occupational health and safety, is a set of ‘requirements, specifications, guidelines and characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose’.

For the majority of companies, implementing an ISO management standard is not necessary. However, for companies in some industries, ISO certification may be required by law or contractually. Even if that’s not the case, conforming to ISO standards has many benefits for businesses:

  • Saving time and money by identifying and solving recurring problems
  • Improving system and process efficiency
  • Increasing customer satisfaction
  • Being more competitive when tendering for contracts
  • Getting more value out of all resources
  • Boosting your credibility in the eyes of your customers

At the very least, you should strive to work to ISO standards, even if you do not apply for the certification.

How can Peligro help me?

Creating an SMS can be a time-consuming task that requires the skills, knowledge and experience in health and safety and industry knowledge. Peligro use their expertise in health and safety and your industry knowledge to create a bespoke SMS for your organisation. Once developed, we spend time with you and your team to ensure you are fully trained in implementing your new SMS within your organisation and are on-hand for any advice or guidance that you may need.

Peligro can offer a range of integrated management systems to suit your requirements.

For further information please contact Peligro on 0114 212 5505 or email [email protected].

Health and Safety Experts