SMS Required for Europe?

[SmsPro]

Has anyone heard about European airports denying access to operators not having an SMS yet?

Also, how will they verify that the operator has a valid, functioning SMS program?

[Spitoon]

The whole idea behind a functioning SMS program is that the regulator merely audits a carrier but never actually walks around the floor, looking at things. While I'm involved with ATC SMSs rather than aircraft operators, I don't believe this statement is correct. The SMS is a system designed to achieve certain things - an auditor must look at the output of the system to see whether it is effective and functioning. Far too many auditors seem to think that their job is simply to check the paperwork!

Back to the original question, I haven't heard of airports denying access to operators for this reason but it's quite common for ISO-certified QMS users to require supplies to be similarly certified. I can imagine some over-zealous exponent of SMS thinking this it's a good idea only to accept operators with an SMS but this would open any number of cans of worms!!! In theory, any commercial operator from an ICAO signatory State must now have an SMS (it's in the SARPs), so the airport should be able to assume that an SMS is in place - just as it assumes that the maintenance arrangements or crew qualifications meet the relevant SARPs.

[SmsPro]

Operators in the U.S. still are not required to have an SMS. The Americans' democratic process may drag this out for a couple more years.

You mentioned SMS auditors. How do people become qualified auditors to audit the SMS?

[What Limits]

You could do my course

[Burr Styers]

Shell Management,

Can you provide the reference or link to a document that says that having an SMS is part of Health and Safety legislation.

Rgds

BS

[Burr Styers]

Tks

have the HSE stuff already, doesn't actually state that you should have an SMS. HSE is embedded in our safety management system, and is pertinent to domain - Office/admin staff, flight deck, Cabin crew, and Maintenance, with CAP 757 covering Flight deck/Cabin crew.

The HSE have a very good website these days.................no, don't tell me, Based on an original idea by Shell ? :}