The Aircraft Electronics Association has developed a safety management systems program for its member companies. The AEA manages the SMS with each participating member company functioning as a “department” in the main program. In essence, the AEA acts as each participating member company’s director of safety, with a member company designated safety representative, or SMS coordinator, on-site at each of the member company’s locations.

“Safety” does not mean operating at a level with no risk. Rather, safety is a condition in which the risk of harm exists at or is actively mitigated to an acceptable level. The aviation industry involves some inherent risk, but one purpose of an SMS is to proactively identify, analyze and mitigate risk to an acceptable level to prevent loss of life or property damage. Risk management involves making rational decisions based on the probability and severity of a possible outcome.

SMS Enrollment Process

1. Complete AEA SMS coordinator training.
   
   
2. Identify by name and email contact the company accountable executive and SMS coordinator (SMSC) to the AEA.
   
   
3. The AEA will distribute an employee enrollment form. The SMS coordinator will return the completed form with all employee names, unique email addresses, user names and passwords.
   
   
4. The accountable executive signs and posts the Safety Management System Website Agreement and notifies the employees of the company’s participation in the AEA SMS program.
   
   
5. All employees login to the SMS site and complete the Employee Initial Training (EIT) program.
   
   
6. The accountable executive signs and posts the Safety Policy Commitment.