Human Element

The Human element is one of the main contributing factors to the casualties and incidents within the shipping industry. It is responsible for between 75% to 96% of maritime accidents and therefore, safety onboard ships can be greatly enhanced by focusing on this element.

Human error onboard ships occurs in various ways and can in some cases even lead to death, the most common causes vary from small fires to collision, grounding, and explosions.  Unfortunately, human error cannot be eliminated, but an understanding of the main reasons for such errors may aid in mitigation. The following are the main contributors to human error:

• Fatigue.
• Incorrect Communication.
• Lack of Knowledge.
• Decision-making without having the appropriate information.
• Incorrect standards and procedures onboard.
• Poor Maintenance.
• Dangerous working environment.

Fatigue is by far considered to be the main reason for such errors occurring. When a person is tired and overworked, even the simplest decisions become unclear. Ineffective communication and no proper knowledge follow right after. It is therefore of paramount importance to ensure that all crew members are properly trained and knowledgeable in their areas of work and the systems that they would need to work with and operate. Other reasons such as poor maintenance, a dangerous working environment, and wrong procedures also contribute to this type of error. 

Ships depend solely on manpower to ensure smooth operations, therefore, it is paramount to ensure that a ship is properly manned to avoid fatigue, appropriate training is provided to ensure proper knowledge, and emergency drills are conducted to ensure that the ship’s crew are always efficient and ready for an emergency.