The paper shows, with a practical application, how the hazard identification and evaluation phase of the Safety Management System (SMS) in a major risk installation (as defined by EC Directive CEE 96/82 (Seveso II)) is the sizing criteria for the whole SMS, with its procedures. Probabilistic risk assessment techniques are applied to a foaming agent production plant. The links between quantitative risk analysis steps and results and SMS procedure are explicitly shown. In conclusion, it is shown how a correct and careful risk analysis is necessary to design and implement a SMS able to pursue the policy's objectives allowing an effective revision of the policy itself. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.