Back to (safety) basics
The Crew Report speaks to Steve Monk of Da Gama Maritime about the industry's lack of basic principles on board, and the need for the industry to go back to basics on the bridge and in safety training.…
The crew industry has upped its professional game over the years, but following recent safety-related incidents it seems that some are falling short in the safety arena. Steve Monk of navigation and crew training specialists Da Gama Maritime got in touch with The Crew Report to share his thoughts surrounding the lack of practical knowledge of on-board safety. Monk pointed to two particular areas on board: basic safety knowledge and vessel navigation.
“Unfortunately, from what I and my teams have witnessed while conducting visits and training is a broad range of skills which vary from high to low with little commonality other than an unfortunate misunderstanding or simply being unaware of some of the most basic aspects,” explains Monk.
Training exercise, Monk says, have revealed a lack of understanding by some crew of what’s going on outside their area of responsibility, specifically during a fire exercise. “We see crew who aren’t aware of the equipment they have on board to assist in fire-fighting efforts or haven’t worn breathing apparatus since their last fire course many years ago. Others use outdated procedures or don’t make an aggressive attack on a fire as soon as the alarm is raised, all of which are simple fixes to help ensure the safety of those on board.”
A weakness in safety in vessel navigation is another worrying factor others are demonstrating. “Too many bridge officers, through no fault of their own are learning bad procedures from their peers who were themselves taught incorrectly,” explains Monk. “Research with some of the more popular maritime training establishments has revealed a variation in the standards taught which makes this an industry wide problem and does not help the Officer of the Watch in achieving and maintaining a high standard of navigational awareness.”
With the increasing popularity of electronic navigation, Monk believes too many vessels now rely on GPS and a computerised chart to determine their position or plot a route. “Regrettably it is rarely the equipment which causes vessels to ground or have accidents but the lack of crew training, failure to use the equipment correctly or a failure to establish sound navigational practices on board,” explains Monk.
“Those we visit understand this is not us trying to raise yachts to a military standard, but to at least have confidence in what they do and to do it correctly,” adds Monk. “It is unfortunate and somewhat regrettable to see some vessels get through management and flag inspections when the standards on board are clearly not safe.”
Port State Controllers around the Mediterranean will be checking up on these areas under heightened and increased inspections during the forthcoming season, so we can hope to see greater improvements in the near future. The reason to change practice on board however should not be for want of avoiding the detainment of your vessel, but for a simply improved safety culture. Perhaps most worrying is that some are not aware that on–board safety practices are out of date, so make sure, as captain, manager, crew or owner, those on board your vessel are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skill to handle these situations.
“Unfortunately, from what I and my teams have witnessed while conducting visits and training is a broad range of skills which vary from high to low with little commonality other than an unfortunate misunderstanding or simply being unaware of some of the most basic aspects,” explains Monk.
Basic firefighting training is one area Monk has identified as a weakness on board
Training exercise, Monk says, have revealed a lack of understanding by some crew of what’s going on outside their area of responsibility, specifically during a fire exercise. “We see crew who aren’t aware of the equipment they have on board to assist in fire-fighting efforts or haven’t worn breathing apparatus since their last fire course many years ago. Others use outdated procedures or don’t make an aggressive attack on a fire as soon as the alarm is raised, all of which are simple fixes to help ensure the safety of those on board.”
A weakness in safety in vessel navigation is another worrying factor others are demonstrating. “Too many bridge officers, through no fault of their own are learning bad procedures from their peers who were themselves taught incorrectly,” explains Monk. “Research with some of the more popular maritime training establishments has revealed a variation in the standards taught which makes this an industry wide problem and does not help the Officer of the Watch in achieving and maintaining a high standard of navigational awareness.”
"Regrettably it is rarely the equipment which causes vessels to ground or have accidents, but the lack of crew training, failure to use the equipment correctly or a failure to establish sound navigational practices on board." - Steve Monk
With the increasing popularity of electronic navigation, Monk believes too many vessels now rely on GPS and a computerised chart to determine their position or plot a route. “Regrettably it is rarely the equipment which causes vessels to ground or have accidents but the lack of crew training, failure to use the equipment correctly or a failure to establish sound navigational practices on board,” explains Monk.
“Those we visit understand this is not us trying to raise yachts to a military standard, but to at least have confidence in what they do and to do it correctly,” adds Monk. “It is unfortunate and somewhat regrettable to see some vessels get through management and flag inspections when the standards on board are clearly not safe.”
Port State Controllers around the Mediterranean will be checking up on these areas under heightened and increased inspections during the forthcoming season, so we can hope to see greater improvements in the near future. The reason to change practice on board however should not be for want of avoiding the detainment of your vessel, but for a simply improved safety culture. Perhaps most worrying is that some are not aware that on–board safety practices are out of date, so make sure, as captain, manager, crew or owner, those on board your vessel are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skill to handle these situations.
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