It is well established that in organizations where a formal and structured SMS approach to managing safety failed, the #1 cause of the failure was the lack of leadership and commitment from the most senior management personnel. Often these individuals lack experience working within a formal SMS structure and have never been taught or even seen how they play a crucial role in the development, implementation, and day-to-day management of the SMS. In fact, many of these failures demonstrate that far too many senior managers believe “safety is safety’s job.” Here is some advice from the ISO 45002:2023 Implementation Guide that all workplaces can learn from regarding senior management’s role in the safety and health of their workers…
