Human Factors

The work of naval architects and marine engineers directly influences the operability and safety of vessels and seafarers. Decisions made at the design stage can influence human behaviour and health and an improved understanding of ergonomics by engineers can ‘design out’ hazards and prevent incidents, both to the individual and the vessel.

Research shows that more than 80% of accidents at sea are caused by human related factors.  Crew complements are being driven down through increasing use of automation but there remain many tasks that can be completed only by humans.  This dilemma can create an increased risk of human error.

Under manning of ships, insufficient training, inadequate knowledge of the entirety of technology present onboard, lack of emergency drills etc can all widen the scope for human error.  Even seemingly minor errors by a single person can lead to a series of errors and so it is critical that their nature is fully transparent and understood throughout the management chain to ensure appropriate action can be taken at the right level.