Review of components
Recommendations on formalized safety management systems

This element, which may seem a little formal and theatrical, is nonetheless fundamental to "everyone pulling in the same direction". Indeed, for this to happen, everyone needs to know what that direction is, and be convinced of the benefits of pulling in that direction. It's not wrong to think that a written and signed commitment is somewhat artificial, because the policy and commitment of managers is expressed above all by their actions, and in an ideal company, the policy and the management's commitment to this policy are felt by everyone without the need to write it down. As the ideal is quite rare, this somewhat formal obligation does have its merits:

• it forces management to take a close...