SHINDE RAHUL BHAGWAT ( GP 26 )
Over the last 40 years or so , the shipping industry has focused on improving ship structure and the reliability of ship systems in order to reduce casualties and increase efficiency and productivity . We ’ ve seen improvements in hull design , stability systems , propulsion systems , and navigational equipment . Today ’ s ship systems are technologically advanced and highly reliable .
Yet , the maritime casualty rate is still high . Why ? Why is it , with all these improvements , we have not significantly reduced the risk of accidents ? It is because ship structure and system reliability are a relatively small part of the safety equation . The maritime system is a people system , and human errors figure prominently in casualty situations . About 75-96 % of marine casualties are caused , at least in part , by some form of human error . Studies have shown that human error contributes to :
• • 84-88 % of tanker accidents
• • 79 % of towing vessel groundings
• • 89-96 % of collisions
• • 75 % of fires and explosions
What do we mean by “ human error ”? Human error is sometimes described as being one of the following :
• an incorrect decision ,
• an improperly performed action , or
• an improper lack of action ( inaction ).
There are many different kinds of human error . It is important to recognize that “ human error ” includes much more than what is commonly called “ operator error ”. In order to understand what causes human error , we need to consider how humans work within the maritime system .