A recent webinar entitled “H.EL.M.E.T. – Human ELement Maritime Enhancement Tool’’ features international entities examining shipping industry safety protocols and how the human element remains primary.
The Center of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences of the European University in Cyprus, together with Prevention at Sea, analyzed a conventional audit. They discovered that while the shipping industry across-the-board adopted rules, procedures and initiatives designed to focus on the human element’s importance to the maritime industry, there were still red flags indicating that there were no early warnings of unsafe practices.
How the human element can create safety failures
According to shipping industry records, over 70% of maritime safety accidents were attributed to the following:
- Bad judgment
- Miscommunication
- Lack of common sense
- A dearth of critical thinking
- Inadequate shipping knowledge
It should be noted that the true percentage may be even higher because some incidents that may not have been reported still affected the ships’ smooth operations and caused severe consequences to maritime workers.
How “tick box” culture takes a human toll
Shifting the focus to the human element in shipping can recenter priorities where safety is concerned, as it will eliminate the need to check off lists of protocols and instead ensure workers remain protected.
Did you suffer a maritime injury?
If you are a merchant marine or other worker in the shipping and maritime industries, you may have suffered injuries that can be attributed to a less than stellar safety approach. Addressing your concerns with a maritime injury attorney can clarify your position and help you get the compensation you deserve after an injury on the high seas.