EXPERT OPINION
By: James Hardie, Technical Superintendent at MUR Shipping
23 Nov 2023
The concept of "ensuring ship safety" might seem somewhat subjective at first glance. What exactly constitutes a "critical inspection" because aren’t all inspections related to maritime safety, critical? They are not undertaken to create problems or hurdles but rather to meticulously evaluate the ship's condition, scrutinizes operational procedures, and ensure that all safety equipment is in the best condition it can be if it’s not currently in use, it should be ready for use.
Starting with a safe working environment
Ship safety starts with all seafarers on board having a safe environment to work and live in. This safety mission extends to fostering a culture where every seafarer not only works safely themselves but also actively encourages and ensures that their colleagues do the same both at sea and on land. Ships, by the very nature of their business, inherently pose risks due to the constant movement of the platform (the cause of which could be many things from the sea state to weather, swinging equipment, slippery decks, and numerous other variables) and collectively these factors can make the maritime environment a challenging and potentially dangerous one to navigate.
Ensuring a robust safety management system on board
The Safety Management System (SMS) on board sets the framework for a high-level safety culture in addition to inspections carried out by third-party inspectors such as PSC, Rightship, Terminal Safety, a third-party ship manager, or even the ship owner’s own Superintendents. A series of safety measures are carried out, including regular safety inspections, risk assessments, toolbox talks (which should not just happen once a day - they should be prior to any task being carried out), and Unsafe Act and Unsafe Condition reporting. Each of these actions can be seen as a safety inspection in its own right.
A robust SMS covers the day-to-day operations and actions of all personnel on board the fleet. Safety isn't a concept that’s exclusive to the shipping industry. The same principles also apply at home, where we subconsciously conduct inspections and address deficiencies to keep our families safe.
In raising the aforementioned point regarding safety at home, the following questions arise:
The responsibility for safety doesn't rest with just a select few. Every member of the crew plays a vital role in safety. Everyone should actively conduct inspections and report deficiencies. However, if the point is reached where a Near Miss has to be reported, then save for exceptional circumstances or conditions or actions that are out of the control of the ship’s personnel, there has been a failure in the process of assessment and inspection.
Responsibility of all on board
When it comes to inspecting and ensuring the safety of ship operations, it's not just a specific group of people who are responsible, it is the responsibility of ALL on board. Throughout a typical day, we all move around the ship - passing through doors, walking through hallways and decks, using ladders, and passing by pipelines and machinery. While we go about our daily routines, it is necessary to break away from the mindset that says, “it has always been like that”. Unfortunately, this occurs regularly when a defect or a deficiency has not been reported and recorded or added to the worklist for repair. Later, when seen again the mind is already conditioned to think “it must be okay” as nobody has bothered to do anything and that is when complacency sets in, as no action has been taken. This is precisely where external visitors to the ship, such as inspectors or others, can find safety problems such as fire doors not closing correctly, doors secured open, ventilator or hatch cover seals damaged or missing, valve handles missing, water and oil leakages, defective lighting, and other deficiencies that might have been overlooked.
Improving safety with collaboration
Since most of us work in teams and not alone, each team member can help ensure everyone is safe and each person can also inspect their colleagues to ensure that they are using the correct PPE and working safely.
It begs the question though, why do we still find deficiencies during inspections and have Near Miss reports coming in regarding personnel not wearing or using the required PPE? If you're someone who cares about safety, it's a good idea to speak up and gently correct a colleague if you see them doing something unsafe before it gets to the stage of having to report an Unsafe Act or Near Miss. This way, we can prevent accidents before they happen. If or when this occurs, and someone tells you that you're not being safe, don't take it as criticism. Instead, be thankful that they are looking out for your wellbeing and trying to prevent any possible accident. We're all in this together and it's important to watch out for one another.
The inspector's perspective
When I attend ships to carry out an inspection (as with most inspectors), this starts on the walk towards the vessel. I am usually asking myself:
If the answer to the above is positive, then the mind is already being conditioned to a good result for the inspection. Then the inspection becomes almost superficial until safety deficiencies are noticed, after which the inspection becomes more detailed with a deeper dive to see what other deficiencies may be around.
Striving for excellence in safety
When I go through safety drill reports and inspection records for onboard safety equipment, I often notice the word "satisfactory." This makes me wonder, how do we define "satisfactory" and is it enough for the safety of those on board?
When you are conducting your daily safety inspections, take a moment to ask yourself this question: Is what I see merely "satisfactory," and should I be content with that? Or could it be better, and if so, what can be done to make it safer? Striving for safety improvement is a mindset we should all adopt. Instead of just being satisfied, let's aim for "good" or even "very good," and don't hesitate to make comments to help make things safer for everyone on board.