The human factor: Preventing human errors
Mankind has depended on the seas, oceans, lakes, and rivers for the transport of people and goods since time immemorial. Most of the world’s cargo is ferried through the water due to many reasons, one of which is its cheapness (Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences et al., 1991, p.12). Ships in the modern era are composed of a variety of systems and technologies. Both the automated bits and those that are not automated require human input. Natural perils and a rise in sea traffic increase the risk of grounding or ship collisions (Talley, 2013, p.31). The natural hazards of being at sea remain the same, but the increased congestion will add to the risk of collision or grounding. Almost all maritime accidents have some degree of human culpability.
Human error is the principal culprit when it comes to shipping accidents. It refers to any cause of the accident that is directly attributed to people. It may include dangerous actions, acts of omission, dangerous conditions, or behavior where the person responsible ought to have acted better. Other causes of accidents include technical faults, over-reliance on aids to shipping, and a lack of alertness. The human system on a ship may be categorized into a couple of groups. The first element is competency(Talley, 2013, p.7). This pertains to the skills and qualifications of personnel involved in building a ship as well as the staff in the ship. Inadequacies in staff skills lead to errors such as flaws in ship design and management. This can be adequately addressed by ensuring everyone involved is properly qualified. The second category deals with organization and methods in the industry (Blackburn, 1817, p.17).
Many accidents, such as the Herald of Free Enterprise capsizing, have been due to improper management. This has usually led to poor planning in the ports and harbors, causing grounding at the harbors. The third class is communication (Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences et al., 1991, p.9). Due to the increasing globalization of crews and ships, there is a need to streamline language and cultural differences to encourage cooperation. Another category relates to automation. More automation is required in shipbuilding to minimize human participation and involvement in maritime processes. The workload of each person should also be minimized to reduces the chances of errors occurring.
There are a variety of other measures that would be implemented to ensure ship safety. Ship personnel should ensure adherence to port policies. Procedures for emergency responses should be clarified to the crew. Shipping company policies on officer assessment should be upgraded to ensure that staff members are properly qualified and equipped with the right skills. The firms should maintain constant contact with port authorities to ensure they have up-to-date information on winds, tides, and currents. Financial support should be availed to upgrade ship technologies and train ship staff. Task analysis should be implemented to ensure that the crew and officers can manage their assigned roles. A human reliability analysis should also be routinely conducted to minimize the risk of errors. When these measures are corrected, they will undoubtedly help reduce ship accidents.
References
Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, & Marine Board. (1991). Crew size and maritime safety. National Academies Press.
Queensland. Department of Transport and Main Roads. (2020). Maritime safety Queensland–marine incidents in Queensland, 2019.
Talley, W. (2013). Maritime safety, security, and piracy. CRC Press.