Safety Management Systems Structure
The structure of an SMS can take many forms. All safety management systems should be integrated within and support the company operations department.
What's a Safety Management System
Remember, safety managers and staff exist to help (assist) the line organization, not control (enforce) it. Safety people are consultants, not cops!
We'll discuss a simple structure that includes four basic positions; safety manager, safety engineer, human resources coordinator, and the safety committee.
Structural "Fit"
It's important to understand where the safety function "fits" in an organization. There's really no one-fits-all SMS structure. In a small company, one person may fulfill duties in each of the SMS leadership positions. In larger companies, each position may be filled by an individual. Some organizations make the mistake of thinking safety is primarily a Human Resource Department (HR) function: It's not. Although HR is an important part of the SMS, it's not the center or hub of the SMS.
Safety is one of the primary functions of operations. It relates directly to the quality of the production/service process within the organization. Therefore, the system usually works best when the safety manager reports to the top operational decision-maker. With this in mind, let's discuss each of these positions.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-2. Within what organizational department should the safety management system be integrated and function?
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