A new video by CHIRP Maritime, under its latest safety initiative “Sea of Distractions”, aims to inform of the misuse of personal devices (mob phones, mp4 players, tablets) whilst on duty in the workplace that may cause distraction with potentially serious safety implications.
Increased use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) has made distractions more prevalent and is an increasing risk in vessel operations. Mobile use distraction was identified as a main contributing factor in the grounding of the general cargo ship Priscilla in July 2018 and the grounding of the tanker “Attilio Levoli” back in 2004.
Distractions were also among the top 10 NTSB Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements of 2019 – 2020. According to NTSB, distraction is an increasing and life-threatening problem in all modes of transportation. Vessel operators do not always have their eyes or minds on the waterway, something that can lead to tragic consequences.
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In shipping, communicating with crew and dispatchers, checking instruments and equipment, and completing scheduled tasks may be part of normal work duties, but engaging in tasks other than vessel operation affects performance.
Aiming to address the problem, CHIRP issued this video to highlight with scientific evidence that using personal mobile devices, such as mobile phones and mp4 players, whilst on duty can lead to serious safety issues.
