Preventing Incidents Onboard: A Safety Equation

Merchant shipping is one of the most regulated industries, with strict international safety standards implemented by the IMO, and ILO organizations. Every year we witness new regulations and laws passed on, concerning ship safety, and environmental protection; however , there is one constant factor to this equation that regulation practices have not yet contained; the Human Element. Any reference to the human element requires an in depth understanding to the interactive relationship between brain functions, environment, and technology adding to the complexity of the equation. Elements in any system interact, change and transform the outcome of the equation.

As shipping moves forward to a new era of digitalization, humans are expected to master knowledge over new equipment, machinery, automated procedures etc. The unfolding complexity of technology , the emergence of stricter safety regulations and other system factors demand that humans are able to organize themselves differently assimilating and adjusting to the new circumstances .Self organization is an emergent property of any complex system that simply arises as a function of complexity and in turn this process recursively shapes the system from which it emerges. Therefore, even the slightest change in a system can alter this interactive relationship .

Situational awareness has been the subject of vast number of studies in identifying risk factors associated with incidences and accidents in the maritime sector. Situational awareness depends on cognitive abilities such as perception, evaluation, judgment and decision making processes; qualities of brain function. What happens when the individual suffers from a serious condition that can impair cognitive functions such as perception, memory or decision making? Can the individual interact with the other principal elements of the equation without altering its course?

Just to set an example, a cadet that suffers bullying or constant harassment from others onboard may be impacted in ways that will inevitably cause a change in the system , in this case the crew system. Unequivocally , safety is a complex equation that requires to be treated as a complex system, and we need to look into the interactive relationship of all properties involved; so it is not just about a cadet being bullied but about an entire crew system that may suffer. A more integrative perspective and approach to implementing safety systems onboard is required if we are to decrease the risk factor of the safety equation.

Impairment due to mental health issues may include deficiencies in cognitive processes such as attention, concentration, memory; poor impulse control, vigilance and increased risk taking behaviors; poor judgment, indecisiveness and reduced problems solving skills including motor responses all of which can jeopardize personal, crew and vessel safety onboard.

In fact human error is the dominant factor of maritime accidents and accounting for about 75% to 90% of marine casualties . Multiple sources recommend the implementation of multidimensional recruitment systems to ensure proper selection of seafarers with traits and attributes significant to optimum job performance, safety and adjustment resulting to increased prevalence rates of stress, depression, generalized anxiety and a over 5% suicidal rate reported among seafarers.

One may ask ” How do we assure safety in a vessel’s environment?” The answer is simple; the key to everything is prevention.

Prevention is a subject that has puzzled many, as the root of the problem seems to be more than one. When it comes to preventing incidents, we must focus on the human element, and more specifically on the fitness of duty of an individual. It is simple; even if one acquires the technical knowledge, the task to be completed requires a right set of mind. So, the conclusion, is that in order to prevent incidents, we shall focus on the human brain, or in other words Mental Health; and if we want to prevent incidents due to impairment of mental health, we must focus on mental health issues, prior to recruitment.

Pre-employment psychological evaluation is a specialized examination that determines applicant’s mental and emotional condition that might adversely affect the performance of safety based duties and responsibilities and defines applicant’s capability to withstand the psychological demands inherent in the prospective job environment.

For the purposes of these guidelines, a pre-employment, conditional-offer psychological evaluation is a specialized examination to determine whether candidate ( seafarer) meets the minimum requirements for psychological suitability as delegated or proposed by IMO-ILO-WHO statutes and regulations, as well as any other criteria established by the hiring agency (maritime company).

In most jurisdictions for high risk occupations or public safety positions, the minimum requirements for psychological suitability are that the applicant be free from any emotional or mental condition that might adversely affect the performance of safety-based duties and responsibilities and be capable of withstanding the psychological demands inherent in the prospective positions.

Under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), medical examinations—which include the assessment of mental or emotional impairment—must be deferred until after a conditional offer is extended (i.e., post-offer). Therefore, the pre-employment psychological evaluation must be conducted post-offer in conjunction with Medical Certificate Examination . In accordance with the ADA, non-medical information should be obtained and analyzed at the pre-offer stage whenever possible. However, because the assessment of normal-range personality traits, behaviors and characteristics (such as judgment, stress resilience, anger management, integrity, conscientiousness, teamwork, and social competence) is an integral part of the assessment, it may be included in the psychological examination conducted at the post-offer stage.

Imeq Center is one of the leading providers in the market providing a three-tier program including an online pre-employment testing especially designed for seafarers. The Center specializes in the selection and assessment of seafarers with main objectives to safeguard personnel, crew and vessel safety by identifying risk factors that interfere with successful job functioning and safety onboard. In the new era of shipping that is to come, with digitalization, automation, specialized crew will be a must, in order to ensure proper performance, assessment tools will be the next big thing.