Lloyd’s Register along with InterManager, used the former’s SafetyScanner machine learning technology to identify new insights regarding lifeboat accidents, in order to help improve lifeboat safety at sea.
More specifically, driven by concerns about lifeboat safety and fatalities caused by lifeboat accidents, InterManager started gathering statistics several years ago, aiming to identify key risk factors.
LR’s SafetyScanner is an artificial intelligence solution designed to read large amounts of data and identify common themes, topics and phrases which carry a similarity.
Now, it examined the raw, aggregated data from InterManager’s lifeboat accident database. From this, LR experts have identified new insights into the main causes, hazards and trends surrounding lifeboat accidents.
#1 Human beings were not the primary cause of lifeboat accidents
#2 23.8% of accidents were due to issues relating to equipment
#3 Most common mechanism issues included: release mechanism, davit, and wire/rope
#4 1 in every 5 accidents involved the boat/crew falling into the water
#5 1 in every 13 accidents happened when the lifeboat was in the stowed position
LR SafetyScanner findings will be used by InterManager during its discussions with maritime industry regulators and the wider shipping industry, as the association works with them to help reduce risks and to prevent fatalities.
Elena Prekopova, LR’s Director of Digital Innovation, commented:
By using machine learning technology, our clients can transform the way they approach Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) decisions and gain a clearer picture of where to focus their HSE efforts
Furthermore, Captain Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General, added that the focus is on finding the root causes of accidents in order to propose their eradication.
For far too long our industry has concentrated on blame and it is time we change our approach and go for the real root causes in order to stop lifeboat accidents once and for all
Human beings were not the primary cause of lifeboat accidents, were they all acts of god?
I’m sure the vast majority if not all the accidents can have been avoided through correct interaction from or by human beings?
1. Who designed the equipment?
2. Who verified the design and test data and approved/certified the equipment?
3. Who operated and reset the release equipment?
4. Who stowed the lifeboats?
5. Who inspects the equipment weekly, monthly?
and so on…….
All of the above is performed by human beings is it not?
If done correctly and by properly trained persons then I would imagine the number of accidents can be considerably reduced.
Human being are the root cause of the accidents, they are the weak link, so focus on every human interaction along the lifecyle from design to de-commission and then you could be on the right path to stopping lifeboat accidents.