Assessments and Audits

Q3.  How will SMS affect the size and nature of Transport Canada audits?

Once SMS is fully implemented throughout the industry, it should enable changes to the focus of regulatory audits. Auditors will be able to concentrate on the operation of the SMS system and less on the details of the company procedures. A sound audit program must always address the organization as a whole, but the focus will change to one of confirming the effectiveness of the SMS. Overall, this should result in a reduction in both audit team size, and time on site. Coupled with the anticipated reduction in audit frequency, this should produce savings in resources and efficiency improvements, both for Transport Canada and for the industry itself.

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