Tag: human element

Many major accidents eg Piper Alpha, Chernobyl, were initiated by human failure. Human failure is not random and people’s actions are rarely malicious and usually make sense to them at the time. This is the second guiding principle for OCIMF actions on human factors, highlighting the importance of understanding why errors occur in order to develop effective controls.

Mr. Ed Verbeek, Nautical Consultancy and Training investigates where we should focus on to bring down the number of human error within the maritime industry. 

Changing the way we think about work is a vital step towards improvement and, in this sense, human performance is a continuous area of study for businesses that wish to flourish. But how is this human performance interpreted and, most importantly, built in an organization?

Safety and its link to human factors is a multi-discussed issue for shipping, an industry, which has seen, several times, a simple omission leading to disastrous consequences. But how can safety management be properly implemented to minimize such adverse occurrences?

The 103rd session of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 103) took place virtually on 5-14 May. The adoption of an MSC resolution to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination of seafarers and the finalization of the regulatory scoping exercise for autonomous ships were the key highlights of this year's meeting. 

Capt. Hans Hederström, Chalmers University of Technology, Professor of the Practice, Dept. of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, highlights that the maritime industry needs to quit perception that human is the creator of problems and focus instead on ways to empower human skills.

Whether it’s crew members on phones or an over-reliance on other forms of technology, fatigue, or a failure of organizational culture and behavior, human error remains a key safety issue for the maritime industry.

Human Factors is the term used in the oil, gas, nuclear, aviation, space and military sectors, recognizing that the human error is not simply a feature of individual failure, but is caused by workplace factors, equipment, and task design, among others.

Nigel Koh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SOL-X Pte. Ltd., a Behavioral Based Safety company, outlines the key safety challenges of human factors and ways to mitigate risks onboard.

Business leaders have long ago identified the connection of people’s behavior with safety in risky environments, making human element a major area of study for improving overall safety performance of an organization. But how is the impact of this behavior translated into everyday working environment?