Twelve human factors affecting maritime safety

The UK MCA has issued a marine guidance note addressing twelve (12) significant people-related factors, the ‘Deadly Dozen’, that result on maritime accidents, incidents and errors.

The Note aims to raise awareness of twelve of the most common contributory factors which can affect maritime safety, along with suggested mitigating actions available to companies, masters and seafarers.

UK MCA notess that they are the twelve most common conditions that can influence or act as pre-cursers to human error, leading to accidents or incidents. It is not a comprehensive list of accident and incident pre-cursers, indeed, there are several hundred possible pre-cursers.

However, experience shows that the ‘Deadly Dozen’ provides a useful and pragmatic introduction to understanding aspects of human error in organisations and workplaces and ship owners, ship operators and managers, masters, officers and crews are encouraged to become familiar with its principles and practices.

The note provides a summary of twelve of the most common people related factors along with tips and learning points which, if managed effectively have the potential to avoid and avert accidents, and make a dramatic improvement to maritime safety. It includes:

1. “the Deadly Dozen” – twelve factors in diagram form with a summary of the key points
2. “the Deadly Dozen” – a diagram showing analysis of the breakdown of the twelve factors by near miss reports submitted to CHIRP Maritime
3. more detailed information on each factor
   • description and summary of the factor
   • key “Do’s and Don’ts”
   • what companies, masters and seafarers can do to help
   • issues to be aware of
   • sources of further information
   • key behaviours that will help

Further details may be found by reading UK MCA Note herebelow

Source: UK MCA