Pipeline SMS is detailed with flexibility to account for the current state of development of particular elements of management systems within a company. In cases where an operator is already operating under its own comprehensive Pipeline SMS, this framework serves as a basis of comparison and review between the industry recommended practice and the operator’s system. Other operators may have some number of individually established safety systems but no comprehensive Pipeline SMS. For them, the guidance in Pipeline SMS provides a means to integrate and add to those efforts to establish a comprehensive system. Still, other operators may have no formal program, and for these, adoption of the framework would be a starting point to build a Pipeline SMS, while learning from more advanced operators. In all cases, operators are intended to have the flexibility to apply this RP as appropriate to their specific circumstances.