SMS Self-Audit Training

Provincial regulations require that industrial railways have Safety Management Systems and that these be audited annually.  Designated employees may perform self-audits provided they have received training in conducting rail SMS Self-audits.

While the audit process itself is not much different from other audits, the applicable regulations are different.  This training course addresses this by enabling participants to explain and describe the applicable rail regulations.

Why are audits necessary?

An ongoing function of achieving safety management success is to conduct regular Safety Management System Audits. The premise behind safety management is “doing the right things the right way”. Audits document the results and point out the opportunities for improvement.

Alberta has 3 audit categories.

In Alberta, this audit is mandatory annually. These audits coincide with the renewals of operating authorities every three years. Industrial railways in Alberta are categorized into 3 types for SMS Audit purposes. Category 3 can perform self-audits in each of the three years in the cycle. Categories 1 and 2 sites are required to have a 3rd party audit in their 3rd year.

For More Information about these categories, visit the Railway Audit Protocols web page on the Alberta Government/Transportation website and click on Self Audit Program Guideline for Alberta Railways, or download this PDF