The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (UK MCA) has published article “Leading for safety” – a comprehensive guide how to approach to safety culture in the maritime industry, emphasizing the importance of understanding why accidents happen, identifying the root causes, and fostering a safety culture.
There is no doubt that almost all maritime leaders want to do their best for safety. But sometimes life makes things difficult. Time pressures, economic constraints and everyday circumstances sometimes seem to prevent good safety leadership.
“Leading for safety” guidance to help leaders and senior officers in the maritime industry improve their leadership and people management skills, to ensure safety. It reflects current thinking on leadership in safety and the human element, focusing on the role of leaders in developing a safe culture:
– Defining the human element: how human behavior can affect safety onboard.
– Decision making and risk management: looking into what can lead to people making mistakes and how to mitigate errors.
– Performance influencing factors (PIFS): looking into how some factors that can influence the performance of people on board can lead to more accidents as well as how to mitigate or control these factors.
– Situational awareness: how to be aware of what is going on around you, now and in the near future.
– Communication and teamwork: what a good communication and building a positive team environment are crucial to creating a safe workplace.
– Creating a culture of safety: looking at why accidents happen, what really causes them and what we can do to create a safety culture in an organisation.
This leadership guide tailored for the maritime industry offers a comprehensive exploration of key aspects crucial for fostering a safety-focused culture. By addressing human factors, decision-making, performance influencers, situational awareness, communication, and teamwork, the guide equips leaders and senior officers with valuable insights to enhance safety practices. Emphasizing the creation of a safety culture within organizations, the guide not only identifies the root causes of accidents but also provides actionable steps for leaders to implement. The reflective conclusion underscores the importance of applying the acquired knowledge in practice, offering practical advice for leaders and suggesting further reading for continuous improvement.