Part 5 of CASR Safety Management Systems

Rule status

Proposed

Safety management systems (SMS) have been introduced across the aviation industry over the past 20 years. Different SMS requirements currently apply to different parts of the industry under various Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR). As these requirements have changed over time, there are now differences between industry sectors.

Part 5 of CASR and its Manual of Standards will combine SMS requirements into a single framework. These rules will align with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 19 SMS framework, helping the aviation industry apply a more consistent approach to safety management.

By standardising SMS requirements, it will be easier for aviation organisations to understand and meet their obligations. It will also reduce administrative complexity for organisations that manage different parts of their operations under a single SMS.

Who it affects

It is anticipated that eventually Part 5 of CASR will affect anyone holding an authorisation which requires an SMS under current CASRs. CASA's SMS requirements are currently contained in:

  • CASR Part 119
  • CASR Part 138 and Part 138 MOS
  • CASR Part 139 and Part 139 MOS
  • CASR Subpart 139H and Subpart 139H MOS
  • CASR Part 142
  • CASR Part 145 and Part 145 MOS
  • CASR Part 149 and Part 149 MOS
  • CASR Part 171 and Part 171 MOS
  • CASR Part 172 and Part 172 MOS
  • CASR Part 173 and Part 173 MOS
  • CASR Part 175

Part 5 will be introduced in stages, which means the 11 existing SMS regulations will move gradually.

A review of Australia's current SMS regulations found that 5 regulations differ most from the ICAO SMS framework.

As a first step, Part 5 is proposed to apply only to organisations which currently have SMS requirements as outlined in CASR Parts 139.H, 171, 172, 173 and 175.

The remaining 6 SMS-related CASR Parts will remain unchanged. These requirements may be reviewed in the future to decide if they should also transition to Part 5.

Legislative instruments

Legislative instruments include exemptions to regulatory requirements in aviation regulations or a Manual of Standards.

Exemptions may apply to a broad range of people.

Instruments related to this part will display in this space or you can view our list of legislative instruments.

There are no legislative instruments available for this rule.

Non-legislative instruments

Non-legislative instruments apply to a particular person. There are some exemptions to regulatory requirements in aviation regulations or a Manual of Standards listed here.

Non-legislative Instruments related to this part will display in this space or you can view our list of non-legislative instruments.

There are no non-legislative instruments available for this rule.

Guidance material

Advisory material provides advice and guidance to explain particular regulatory requirements of a CASR Part. Guidance material relating to this part will appear in this space or you can view all our guidance material.

3 guidance material available

Updated:

The purpose of this AC is to provide guidance to aerodrome operators on safety management systems.

Advisory Circular Version: 1.0
Updated:

This AC provides guidance on establishing and maintaining an SMS that ensures consistency, harmonisation and standardisation across several CASR Parts.

Advisory Circular Version: 1.0
Updated:

Multi-Part AC 119-01 and AC 138-11 applies to air operator’s certificate (AOC) and aerial work certificate (AWC) holders operating under the Parts 119 and 138 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), being operators conducting Australian air transport operations or aerial work operations.

Advisory Circular Version: 3.0
Last updated date
Updated:
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//rules/regulatory-framework/casr/part-5-casr-safety-management-systems
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