Safety Management Systems (SMS)
SMS
Section 22(1) of the NRSR Act No.16 of 2002, as amended reads "A person may not undertake any railway operation or a component of a railway operation without being in possession of an applicable safety permit". The NSRS Act further defines a Railway Operation as "the activities performed by a network operator, train operator or station operator, or a combination of two or three of them". Safe Railway Operations are defined as "a railway operation in which the risks associated with the railway operation which may impact on the safety of persons and property transported by railway and the safety of other persons, other property and the environment, are as low as is reasonably practicable in the given set of circumstances, and does not include security". In that light, the aim of all safety permits is to ensure that All Railway Operation are Safe Railway Operations.
Your SMS is the first step in applying for and maintaining a safety permit. Your safety permit (either temporary or full) will enable you to perform various including constructing, installing, and/or refurbishing new railway units and components. The Railway Safety Regulator assesses the SMS' structure, implementation and maturity on an ongoing basis as per their mandate bestowed by the NRSR Act No.16 of 2002 as amended.
SMS Documentation
The SMS must contain policies, process and procedures that demonstrate the organization's mechanisms for safety management. These mechanisms must be designed in a way that complies with the normative reference the SMS and SMSR Determination.
It is a legal requirement for SMS documents to be regularly reviewed with in the appropriate review intervals; stored in a controlled version; and be accessible by all members of the organization that are concerned with/and involved in railway operations.
NIMS
The National Information Monitoring System (NIMS) is a systems utilized by the RSR as well all Safety Permit holders. The system assists the Operators and Regulator curate all required interactions between them.