Safety management in many organizations is simply a mirage and yet people rely on it to protect their lives and assets. Management must come to understand that the implemented safety management systems may be sitting on weak foundations and may not perform when relied upon. Many safety management systems are mere “paper tigers” and in reality, just a paper-exercise. Valuable lessons can be learnt from how safety was mismanaged or had become dysfunctional in many organizations so that these pitfalls can be avoided. Lessons can also be learnt from organizations that have successfully navigated their safety management despite the challenges discussed in the book. Stakeholders need to scrutinize the effectiveness of the controls in place, rather than be another participant in the safety charade. To maximize payback and effectiveness, a safety management system must attend to the needs of each different organization. A “one-size-fits-all” standardized solution will invariably be sub-optimal. Importantly, the safety management system implemented must commensurate with the risk exposure of the organization.
