A safety management system (SMS) gives operators a structured way to:
- identify hazards
- manage and monitor operational risks before they lead to accidents or incidents.
An SMS is more than compliance. It puts safety into your culture and operations, protecting people, assets and the public.
While an SMS is CEO-driven, your SMS will work best with the active involvement of all staff.
Your SMS scope and resources is scalable to match the size and nature of your operations. This will help you manage all your hazards and risk effectively.
To support your understanding, read Booklet 1 – Safety Management System basics from our SMS kit for Aviation.
Who needs an SMS
You will need an SMS if you conduct operations under the following Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR):
- Part 119 AOCs - this also includes those operating under:
- Part 121 large air transport
- Part 135 small air transport
- Part 133 rotorcraft
- Part 138 aerial work certificates. This is for specific operators required to have an SMS
- Part 139 aerodrome certificates. This is for specific operators required to have an SMS
- Part 142 AOCs
- Part 145 certificates
- Part 149 organisations
- Part 171 service provider approvals
- Part 172 ATS provider approvals
- Part 173 certified designer approvals
- Part 175 AIS provider certificates.
SMS benefits
Using an SMS gives many benefits, such as:
Safety performance
By identifying and addressing risks early, organisations lower the chance of accidents and incidents.
Operational efficiency
An SMS makes processes and decision-making efficient, saving time and resources while lowering effort.
Safety culture
An effective SMS creates positive safety culture for your organisation – improving communication, trust, and accountability.
Reputation and stakeholder confidence
Committing to safety builds your reputation with customers, regulators, and partners.
Enhanced compliance
A documented SMS reduces the risk of non-compliance.
3 Oct 2025