Qualified to comment for once!
I run an engineering company. We recently went to the trouble to implement a combined QMS and OHSMS with a "clean sheet"approach.
I would like to report I have 100% engagement (myself included) but I can't. That being said, there is a far greater awareness and we are moving to better adopt the concepts.
What I did do was choose a company to help us implement this who has an aviation background. In fact while they do airlines and foreign ones, they also do aviation support industries.
Why did I take a aviation supper into industrial engineering? Because they really understand how a QMS and SMS (OHSMS) goes hand in hand with a healthy business review and change management culture.
What I have learned is that everyone needs to "own" the system, from the subcontractor to frontline employees, but most importantly the CEO/MD/GM folk.
The down side is somebody has to be responsible for keeping it up and current. It is not a book that you put on the shelf. Everyone has to have it in their blood. From better staff training to suppliers to "office lighting" need to be looked at on a regular basis to see what can be improved, and all of the focus is on the customer. Be they internal or external.
As for a PVT GA operation the same things apply ……. it is just a culture of how we do things.
I am very much against the OHS folk that make it impossible to do anything, but a good QMS&SMS combined is a business improvement tool. The secret is a balance. Many good airlines are very good at this. Some are not. The real secret is weeding out or managing the risks associated with latent risk. It can or may always exist, it is just how you work with it daily.
I am happy to recommend via PM the people we used.