Instructions

Safety Management System Review

For this assignment, you will conduct a review of the safety management system (SMS) at your organization or an organization with which you are familiar. 

Some students may not currently work in the safety field and do not have access to the required information outlined in the instructions. If this is the case, do not hesitate to contact your professor to discuss an alternative method.

Many elements make up an effective SMS, as outlined throughout this course. For simplicity, you will review and discuss the following six SMS core elements for this project.

• Management Commitment and Leadership
• Employee Participation or Involvement
• Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities
• Hazard Recognition and Control
• Education and Training
• Performance and Measurement

While the review template provided below is based on the core elements established in OSHAàRecommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs (referenced in this unitàRequired Unit Resources), you may utilize any of the following to guide you through your review:

• ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 and ANSI/ASSP/ISO 45001-2018, as discussed in the textbook;
• the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) VPP Site-Based Participation Site Worksheet, contained in Chapter 18, Addendum A, of the course eTextbook; or
• OSHAàRecommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs (referenced in this unitàRequired Unit Resources).

As part of your review, you will complete the Unit VII SMS Review Template. Follow the instructions below and those listed in the template to complete this project. You will complete each step below for each of the six core elements listed in the template.

Step 1: Collect Evidence. You do not need to provide copies or images of the actual documents or reports that you review. However, you must identify all resources and specific information you examined in the first section of the template. Suggested sources of information are as follows: 

• Review applicable documents (e.g., safety manuals and instructions, safety policies, safe operating procedures, job hazard analyses).
• Review pertinent reports/records (e.g., emails or letters from leadership to employees, safety meeting minutes, injury logs, audit reports, OSHA citations, inspection reports, risk assessments, training records).
• Conduct interviews. These may include one-on-one or group meetings with managers and supervisors as well as one-on-one or group meetings with employees.
• Observe the workplace for safety communications (e.g., policy postings, team or department safety meetings, safety committee meetings).
• Observe the workplace for safety compliance or at-risk behaviors.

Step 2: Evaluate the Evidence. For each SMS element, compare the evidence reviewed against the stated criteria in the guidance document you are using by discussing what you found or were unable to find. 

Step 3: Discuss the Effectiveness of the Core Element. In the next section of the template, you will discuss your assessment of each core element function based on your observations and objective evidence as they compare to standards, available resources, and best management practices. Identify any significant gaps. Your discussion in this section of the template must be at least 100 words for each element.

Step 4: Assign a Performance Level Rating. Use the drop-down menu in the template to rate each core element. Base your rating for each element on the following descriptions: 

• Effective: There is evidence that the core element function is effective and is achieving the desired outcome. Evidence that the information reviewed is visible and documented with action planning.
• Strong: There are minor gaps in the function of the core element with some action planning. 
• Moderate: Evidence of the core element function is scattered and is non-conformant with established criteria. There are some positive trends. 
• Inadequate: There is little evidence observed of the core element function. Multiple or significant systemic non-conformities exist. There is no action planning.

Step 5: Explore Opportunities for Improvement (OFI). For each SMS element, discuss the opportunities for improvement that you found based on your review. 

• Identify at least one OFI for each core element. Keep in mind an OFI many not necessarily be a deficiency but an area where greater effectiveness or efficiency can be obtained. The OFIs you identify may or may not expound on gaps discovered in Step 3.
• Justify the OFIs based on your synthesis of course concepts.
• Do not propose solutions for the gaps found or the opportunities for improvement you have concluded. This will be accomplished in the next unitàassignment. You are encouraged to review those assignment instructions to ensure you are building a solid foundation in this unit to complete that assignment. 

At the end of the template, you will summarize the overall status of the organization’s SMS, offering your opinion on the degree of alignment between the SMS and established standards or other management system efforts utilized at the facility. Your summary must be at least 100 words.

For this project, you must use at least four scholarly, peer-reviewed, or industry-standard resources, one of which may be your course eTextbook, to support your review, discussion, and/or summary. The organization-specific sources and evidence you collect do not count toward this requirement.