Integrity, Professionalism Transparency - : A Good Surveyor The Hallmarks of
Integrity, Professionalism Transparency - : A Good Surveyor The Hallmarks of
Integrity, Professionalism Transparency - : A Good Surveyor The Hallmarks of
Human Element
Bulletin
Issue No. 28 January 2012
ISSN 1747-5015
w: www.he-alert.org
e: editor@he-alert.org
A Nautical Institute project
sponsored by
Lloyds Register Educational Trust
R
esponsibilities come before
skills. Each of the Alert!
bulletins in this series is about
defining the responsibilities of a
particular stakeholder group with
respect to addressing the Human
Element. From these we intend
to develop descriptions of the
knowledge and skills necessary to
discharge those responsibilities.
But, we would not be user-
centred if we did this on our
own. Contributions from those
who have already benefited from
the right training and experience
will be essential to ensure that we
get it right. What we offer in the
centrespreads will serve as a first
draft, which we will ultimately
develop through the Alert!
website, with a view to providing
a comprehensive human element
skills framework for all the
various stakeholders by the end
of this series of bulletins.
Feedback, therefore, is essential
and very welcome.
Through the Alert! bulletins and
the website, we seek to represent
the views of all sectors of the
maritime industry on human
element issues. Contributions for
the Bulletin, letters to the editor
and articles and papers for the
website database are always
welcome.
The Editor
Alert!
The Nautical Institute
202 Lambeth Road
London SE1 7LQ
United Kingdom
editor@he-alert.org
I
n many respects, the surveyor/
inspector is the epitome of what the
human element is all about, because
he/she is one of the few whose role
it is to interact directly with other
humans, primarily the seafarers. The
surveyor therefore needs to possess
many human element attributes plus
the knowledge and skills to do the job.
That is not to say that every surveyor
and inspector needs to be a human
element expert, but they must at least
have an understanding of its relevance
in the design, build and operation of a
ship and its systems to what extent
depends on the specific role of an
individual surveyor or inspector.
The required knowledge, skills and
attributes of a surveyor/inspector are
many and varied. Not only do they
need to have the necessary professional
qualifications but also they must be
able to relate to those with whom they
will come into contact, both ashore
and afloat, in the course of their work.
To this end, they must have a good
knowledge of the ways of the sea -
ideally, they should have held a senior
position at sea so that they can use
their technical skills to exercise
professional judgement. They must
be current not only in their knowledge
of the regulations but also in
understanding the latest technology
and how it is applied onboard ship.
They must also be able demonstrate
good leadership and the ability to
communicate effectively to those
whose first language may not be the
same as theirs. And, they must be
capable of producing concise written
reports, with clarity of thought, and
which are understandable even to
those whose first language may be
different to that in which the report
is written.
The IMOs Code of Good Practice for
Port State Control Officers (PCSOs)
encompasses three fundamental
principles against which all actions
of PSCOs are judged: integrity,
professionalism and transparency.
These are the principles that should
be adopted by any person who is
engaged in the business of surveying
or inspecting ships and their systems
which of course, includes the people
who operate them.
These principles are the hallmarks
of a good surveyor/inspector and
should bring with them the need to
understand how humans interact with
other humans, machines and systems.
Integrity, professionalism and
a good surveyor
transparency - the hallmarks of
2
The need for human element competence
T
his article con-
siders how the
human element rel-
ates to my role running the Assessment
and Inspection department in BP
Shipping. The department is responsible
for approximately 3,500 bespoke pieces
of assessment a year, largely SIRE ship
inspections but also encompassing
technical manager, marine terminal and
structural assessments.
The oft mentioned perception, particularly
when it comes to ship inspections, is that
there need to be winners and losers, that
inspectors attend to find fault and that
they are programmed to find as many
issues as possible. My own perception
of this is entirely different - inspectors
attend vessels on behalf of a principal,
and - certainly in the case of BP - they are
onboard to undertake a quantified risk
assessment of the vessel and her operation
to determine if the level of risk to the
business is acceptable for the potential
carriage of one of our cargoes. Differing
perceptions are a classic symptom of
the human element. I believe that in
this instance our required outcomes are
similar and with some slight changes in
behaviour we could be better aligned and
able to deliver what we are all looking for
- safer vessels.
The benefit a ship inspector brings to
the equation is an independent,
experienced set of eyes to help manage
our risk, and yours. You possibly see one
thing due to familiarity, we possibly
see things differently, bringing a fresh,
experienced approach.
To quote from UK Maritime and Coastguard
Agency (MCA) publication The Human
Element - a guide to human behaviour in the
shipping industry: Humans are not simply
an element like the weather. They are at
the very centre of the shipping enterprise.
They are the secret of its successes and
the victims of its failures. And: Our ability
to share situations, goals and meaning
depends on two other key human
properties: empathy and communication.
During an inspection, many of the
conversations have the potential to
become difficult. Ensuring all parties
understand the outcome of these
O
ne way for the human element to
make an impact on a large scale is
through the inclusion of ergonomic design
requirements in Classification Rules and
Regulations. Class provides a means,
with corresponding verification, to make
far-reaching ergonomic improvements,
benefiting a large number of seafarers.
A consideration of ergonomics in ship
design will help to enhance operational
safety, reduce the risk of error and improve
efficiencies and situational awareness.
A key part of the Lloyds Register strategy
for the human element is to improve the
way it is addressed in its core Rules. This is a
challenging activity and one which has no
quick win solution. There are a wide variety
of hurdles that need to be overcome during
the rule development process. However,
progress is being made, and this year sees
the first major ergonomics input to the
Rules, addressing ergonomics at control
stations and in the presentation of alarms.
However, having well written, verifiable
ergonomic Rule requirements addresses
only one part of the Lloyds Register
strategy. The verification of any ergonomic
requirements in the Rules will be
undertaken by surveyors. Therefore, any
attempt to address the human element in
the Rules requires that the competence of
surveyors is increased at the same time as
the Rules are revised.
Unfortunately, knowledge and awareness
of the human element is often poor
or indeed absent among surveyors.
Surveyors are trained to make decisions
about engineering not human behaviour.
They generally receive no more than basic
training in matters such as Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH) or work system
design. Hence, raising awareness of the
subject is an essential first step if the
benefits of improved design are to be
realised. The need to have a human
element competency framework for
surveyors is now recognised as being as
important as having a Rules development
strategy in this area.
Following an analysis of the knowledge,
skills and attitudes required for a baseline
human element competency, a suitable
training delivery programme has been
proposed. In the first instance, a human
element e-learning course with online
assessment will be developed to raise
awareness. This course will be fairly basic
in scope, as it needs to lay the foundations
of education in this subject. The intention
is for the course to be rolled out in early
2012 and for it to be completed by all
marine surveyors. Successful completion
of the training and its assessment will
become the means to assess surveyor
competency in the human element.
The success of the training course will
be measured by our training feedback
process and by the number of enquiries
received from surveyors. We do not
expect surveyors to make expertise-based
human element decisions, but we do
hope that they will be able to recognise
human element issues and will seek
assistance from a human element specialist
when required.
As the Rules develop in the different
engineering areas, specific training will
be developed. These training courses will
then become part of the competency
schemes within the specialised domains.
The full paper on which this article is based can be
downloaded from:
www. he- al er t . org/ document s/ publ i shed/
he01035.pdf
among Classification Society Surveyors
conversations is not about winning and
losing, but about creating an opportunity
for improvement. Instilling behaviours
that are respectful of others positions, and
empowering all parties to have a voice
and be willing to use it, are important. In-
spectors should be respectful of the officers
and crew and the fact they are temporarily
in their living and working environment.
On the other hand, ships staff also need to
be respectful of the inspector he/she is a
well-qualified and experienced individual
representing a customer.
In the event that respect and basic
communications are evident and in place,
I believe the inspection process has the
ability to deliver mutual benefit.
The Human Element publication has
relevance for every aspect of what we do
in our industry. I should have read it when
changing roles recently; it helps inform
your perception of everything you do.
The Human Element a guide to human
behaviour in the shipping industry is
downloadable from:
www.dft.gov.uk/mca/the_human_element_a_
guide_to_human_behaviour_in_the_shipping_
industry
Winners and losers
Captain Andy Glass, Manager, Assessment & Inspection, BP Shipping Ltd
an oft mentioned perception
Olivia Walker, Curriculum Leader, Senior Specialist Human Element, Lloyds Register
3
2012 marks JCP Marines 20th anniversary.
During that time we have developed
our own criteria for recruiting marine
surveyors. Whilst we survey a diverse
variety of ship types generally for
underwriters, charterers and law firms
we are well known for our tanker
expertise and place a strong premium
on our surveyors possessing good tanker
qualifications and experience. Other
companies will have their own specific and
individual needs. In this short article, I will
take you briefly through our recruitment
criteria for surveyors.
At its heart we need technically qualified
personnel. Borrowing from the Ship
Inspection Report (SIRE) and Chemical
Distribution Institute (CDI) programmes,
this translates into the applicant holding
a certificate of Competency (Deck Officer
or Marine Engineer) Class 1 with at least
an Oil Dangerous Cargo Endorsement;
having a total of 60 months sea time
served on tankers; of which at least 24
months has been in the capacity of senior
officer i.e. Master, Chief Engineer, Chief
Officer or Second Engineer Officer.
Captain Julian Brown, CEO, JCP Marine Pte Ltd, Singapore
Our preference is that candidates already
possess lead auditor qualifications, but will
consider those who have completed ISM or
ISO internal auditor training at a recognised
training establishment. If necessary we will
complement the candidates basic ISM and
ISO certification with externally provided
ISO 14000 and ISO 18000 training.
Beyond the those basic technical
qualifications, we need surveyors who are
knowledgeable with respect to industry
standards and international rules and
regulations appropriate to the vessels
being inspected. In-house Computer
Based Training (CBT) software allows us to
independently verify technical skill levels.
Less easily defined perhaps, but the softer
skills can be as equally important as technical
ability. The ability to communicate clearly
and effectively with ships staff is essential.
Generally that means possessing a good
standard of spoken English, although for
some regional offices where it is primarily
domestic trade that is surveyed, that can
be a secondary consideration. Clarity of
thought; a logical approach; and the ability
to produce concise written reports, are all
essential client requirements.
Human element skills and knowledge
Safety awareness is paramount and a
surveyor needs to be constantly aware
of the risks and hazards that surround
him. As we are frequently reminded, ships
can be dangerous places: enclosed space
entry incidents remain a depressingly
common feature of our industry. Wearing
the appropriate safety apparel, carrying
a suitable gas meter and setting a good
example regarding PPE and safety when
on board ship are in my mind important
attributes of a surveyor.
The range of survey requirements means
that not all skills are required by all
surveyors. The temperament and technical
abilities needed to assess the condition of
tank coatings do not neatly overlap with
the ability to analyze the documentation
relating to a fuel oil cargo contamination
nor again with assessing navigation
practices and machinery incidents.
Independence, integrity and an inquisitive
mind are all essential traits, which in my
experience most mariners who come
ashore already possess. There are many
more I could go on and list. But thats for a
future article perhaps.
Rear Admiral J A Watson, USCG Director, Prevention Policy
C
urrently, US vessels engaged on
foreign voyages and subject to SOLAS
must comply with the International Safety
Management (ISM) Code. ISM auditing
has been delegated to recognized class
societies. Class society ISM auditors must
be certified to the International Register
of Certified Auditor (IRCA) competency
standards.
The Coast Guard offers a Streamlined
Inspection Program (SIP) as an alternative
to traditional Coast Guard inspections.
Much like SMSs, company personnel
conduct frequent, periodic examinations
of the various vessel systems, document
their findings, and take the necessary
corrective actions. A third party auditor is
not required. Under this program, the Coast
Guard still conducts required inspections
of participating vessels; however, the
manner of conducting the inspections is
more to verify that company personnel
have completed self examinations and
corrected discrepancies in accordance
with an approved streamline inspection
program.
The Coast Guard has published proposed
regulations governing the inspection,
standards, and safety management
systems on towing vessels to promote
safer work practices and reduce casualties
by requiring that towing vessels adhere
to prescribed safety standards and safety
management systems.
Through this rulemaking, the Coast Guard
intends to broaden the available pool
of auditors, beyond those authorized to
conduct audits for ISM (now, only our
authorized classification societies) to
include organizations that meet prescribed
standards. The proposed rule for towing
vessel safety auditors requires that
states auditors must meet the following
qualifications: