Safety Management System

About

Safety Management System (SMS) is a structured, organized, system-wide approach to managing safety risk in aviation.  SMS provides airport management with a set of tools to make safety-related decisions. SMS also helps airport management identify safety risks associated with airport operations, airport development, other changes, and to proactively address those issues before they result in accidents, incidents, injuries, or damages. 

Participants at the airport are encouraged to submit hazard reports or comments as outlined within their own organization’s requirements and through the Gerald R. Ford Airport Authority’s Hazard Report Form or through the Airport Communication Center.   If hazards are not reported, they cannot be mitigated or corrected.

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority (GFIAA) considers safety to be a high priority as reflected in our core values, and it is committed to the development and implementation of a functional and effective Safety Management System (SMS) to improve safe airport operations. Safety in an airport environment requires deliberate effort and personal commitment from every member of the airport community.

The GFIAA’s commitment is to work alongside each member to proactively improve the airport environment. The result is an environment in which the airport community feels comfortable identifying and reporting safety issues without the fear of retribution. The GFIAA is dedicated to creating an environment that minimizes exposure to hazards and risks and is committed to continuous safety improvement. The GFIAA pledges to monitor safety performance and provide the appropriate amount of resources needed to proactively manage safety hazards and their risks, with the intent to eliminate unacceptable safety risks in our operations. The GFIAA will comply with regulatory safety requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration and is committed to the establishment of a safety culture. The GFIAA is spearheading the adoption and promotion of a safety culture based on trust, shared ownership, and open participation.

The ultimate objective of the GFIAA is to facilitate the development of a safety culture that permeates throughout every component of the organization.

- Torrance Richardson A.A.E., President