Will SMS improve aviation safety?
Safety is a relative concept – the absence (reduction) of risk. Aviation is very safe in comparison with other industries.
A view of SMS by James Reason
Human Factors Aspects of Safety Management Systems might suggest that SMS may not result in greater safety, just a different view of safety; one which the industry/rgulators require at this time. However, in this he recognizes that not every operator is the same or will benefit from the same program.
If aviation is an “ultra complex and ultra safe” industry (Amalberti), it may well require the form of safety management envisaged by ICAO, perhaps better still as illustrated by Woods
Creating Foresight.
The organizational changes required by SMS ultimately involve change in the way humans think and behave; in this instance at managerial level. The industry has attempted this at operator level through CRM with questionable success, thus can any more be expected from SMS; I doubt it.
On the positive side humans enjoy change, they focus on new and shiny concepts, thus SMS may reinvigorate tired and flagging safety programs, but for how long. How long in comparison to creating the anticipated universal change, we don’t know until we try.