While human errors are all too often blamed on “inattention” or “mistakes” on the part of the operator, more
often than not they are suggestive of deeper and more complicated problems in the total maritime system.
Human errors are generally caused by technologies, environments, and organizations which are incompatible in
some way with optimal human performance. These incompatible factors “set up” the human operator to make
mistakes.
So what is to be done to solve this problem? Traditionally, management has tried either to tempt or threaten its
personnel into not making errors, as though proper motivation could somehow overcome inborn human
limitations. In other words, the human has been expected to adapt to the system. This does not work. Instead,
what needs to be done is to adapt the system to the human.
The discipline of human factors is devoted to understanding human
capabilities and limitations, and to applying this information to design
equipment, work environments, procedures, and policies that are
compatible with human abilities. In this way we can design technology,
environments, and organizations which will work with people to enhance
their performance, instead of working against people and degrading their
performance. This kind of human-centered approach (that is, adapting the
system to the human) has many benefits, including increased efficiency
and effectiveness, decreased errors and accidents, decreased training costs,
decreased personnel injuries and lost time, and increased morale.
Inadequate Communications. Another area for improvement is
communications- Better procedures and training can be designed to
promote better communications and coordination on and between
vessels. Bridge Resource Management (BRM) is a first step towards
improvement.
Inadequate General Technical Knowledge.
In one study, this problem was responsible
for 35% of casualties. The main contributor
to this category was a lack of knowledge of
the proper use of technology, such as radar.
Mariners often do not understand how the
automation works or under what set of
operating conditions it was designed to
work effectively. The unfortunate result is
that mariners sometimes make errors in
using the equipment or depend on a piece of
equipment when they should be getting
information from alternate sources.
Inadequate Knowledge of Own Ship
Systems. A frequent contributing factor to
marine casualties is inadequate knowledge
of own ship operations and equipment.
Several studies and casualty reports have
warned of the difficulties encountered by
crews and pilots who are constantly working on ships of different sizes, with different equipment, and
carrying different cargoes. The lack of ship-specific knowledge was cited as a problem by 78% of the mariners
surveyed. A combination of better training, standardized equipment design, and an overhaul of the present
method of assigning crew to ships can help solve this problem.