Section 15.5 Fostering a Strong Safety Culture Onboard

While the ISM Code mandates a Safety Management System (SMS) with documented procedures, risk assessments, audits, and reporting mechanisms, the true effectiveness of these elements hinges on something less tangible but far more profound: the safety culture onboard the vessel. A strong safety culture is one where safety is not just a set of rules to be followed or boxes to be ticked, but an ingrained value and a collective commitment shared by everyone from the Master to the newest rating. It’s about “how things are really done around here” when it comes to safety. Fostering such a culture on a bulk carrier, with its diverse crew, demanding operations, and inherent risks, is one of the Master’s most critical leadership responsibilities. An SMS can provide the framework, but only a positive safety culture can bring it to life and ensure sustained safety performance.

1. What is Safety Culture?

Safety culture can be defined as the shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and values that employees hold in relation to safety in their workplace. It determines the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organization’s health and safety management.

Key Characteristics of a Strong Safety Culture:

Leadership Commitment: Safety is visibly prioritized and championed by senior management ashore and by the Master and officers onboard.

Shared Values and Beliefs: A common understanding that safety is everyone’s responsibility and that all accidents are preventable.

Open Communication: Crew members feel empowered to speak up about safety concerns, report hazards and near misses, and question unsafe practices without fear of blame or reprisal.

Mutual Trust and Respect: Between management and crew, and among crew members.

Learning Orientation: A willingness to learn from incidents, near misses, and audits, and to adapt procedures accordingly (continuous improvement).

Just Culture (No-Blame, but Accountable): Focuses on identifying system failures rather than solely blaming individuals for errors, unless there is willful negligence or violation of known rules. This encourages reporting. However, accountability for deliberate unsafe acts remains.

Proactive Approach: Emphasis on identifying and mitigating risks before incidents occur, rather than just reacting to them.

High Level of Awareness and Vigilance: Crew are alert to potential hazards in their work environment.

Compliance with Procedures: Procedures are understood, seen as relevant and practical, and are consistently followed.

Empowerment and Involvement: Crew members are involved in safety discussions, risk assessments, and the development of safety solutions.

Good Housekeeping: A clean and well-organized ship often reflects a good safety culture.

2. Why is a Strong Safety Culture More Important Than Just an SMS Manual?

SMS as a Tool, Culture as the Driver: An SMS manual provides the “what” and “how” of safety management, but the safety culture determines “if” and “how well” those procedures are actually implemented in practice, especially when no one is watching.

Beyond Compliance: A strong safety culture aims for safety excellence, going beyond mere compliance with minimum regulatory requirements.

Resilience to Pressure: In a strong safety culture, safety will not be compromised due to commercial pressures or perceived urgency. The “safety first” principle genuinely guides decisions.

Adaptability and Proactivity: A positive culture encourages crew to identify new hazards and suggest improvements, making the SMS a living, evolving system. A purely compliance-driven approach can be rigid and slow to adapt.

Reduced Incidents: Numerous studies have shown a strong correlation between a positive safety culture and lower accident rates.

Improved Morale and Well-being: When crew feel that their safety is genuinely valued, it improves morale, job satisfaction, and overall well-being.

3. The Master’s Pivotal Role in Shaping Onboard Safety Culture:

The Master is the single most influential person in shaping the safety culture on their vessel. Their actions, attitudes, and leadership style set the tone for the entire crew.

A. Visible Leadership and Commitment (“Walking the Talk”):

Prioritize Safety: Consistently demonstrate that safety is a top priority in all decisions and communications. This means not cutting corners on safety for operational expediency.

Be Present and Engaged: Regularly walk around the ship, observe operations, talk to crew about safety, and show genuine interest in their concerns.

Lead by Example: Personally adhere to all safety procedures and wear appropriate PPE.

B. Effective Communication:

Open Door Policy: Be approachable and encourage crew to raise safety concerns or suggestions without fear.

Regular Safety Meetings: Make safety meetings meaningful, interactive, and focused on practical issues relevant to the vessel and its current operations. Use them as a forum for sharing lessons learned and discussing risks.

Clear Instructions: Ensure all orders and instructions related to safety are clear, concise, and understood.

Positive Reinforcement: Acknowledge and praise safe working practices and proactive safety contributions from crew members.

C. Fostering Trust and Respect:

Treat all crew members with respect, regardless of rank or nationality.

Build trust by being fair, consistent, and transparent in decision-making.

Support crew members who report safety issues, even if it causes inconvenience.

D. Promoting a “Just Culture” (No-Blame for Errors, Accountability for Violations):

Encourage Reporting of Errors and Near Misses: Emphasize that the goal of reporting is to learn and improve the system, not to punish individuals for honest mistakes.

Distinguish Between Errors and Violations:

Errors: Unintentional slips, lapses, or mistakes. Respond with support, understanding, and system improvements.

Violations: Deliberate disregard for known rules or procedures. These require appropriate disciplinary action, but the focus should still be on understanding why the violation occurred.

Fair Investigation: Ensure any incident investigations are conducted fairly and focus on identifying root causes (including system factors) rather than just assigning blame.

E. Empowerment and Involvement of Crew:

Involve Crew in Risk Assessments: Encourage participation in JSAs, TRAs, and toolbox talks. Their practical experience is invaluable.

Seek Suggestions for Improvement: Actively solicit ideas from crew on how to make operations safer or improve SMS procedures.

Delegate Safety Responsibilities (with support): Empower department heads and safety representatives to take ownership of safety within their areas.

F. Ensuring Adequate Training and Competence:

Verify that all crew members are competent for their assigned tasks and have received necessary safety training (including familiarization with the SMS and emergency procedures).

Identify training needs and arrange for additional training where required.

Promote a culture of continuous learning about safety.

G. Resource Allocation:

Ensure that adequate resources (time, manpower, equipment, PPE) are available to carry out work safely and to implement necessary safety improvements.

H. Consistent Enforcement of Rules and Procedures:

While fostering a just culture, it’s also essential to ensure that critical safety rules and procedures are consistently followed by everyone. Inconsistent enforcement undermines the credibility of the SMS.

I. Master’s Review of the SMS:

Use the Master’s review process not just as a reporting tool to the company, but as an opportunity to reflect on the state of the safety culture onboard and identify areas for improvement in attitudes, behaviors, and system effectiveness.

4. Indicators of a Positive (or Negative) Safety Culture Onboard:

Positive Indicators:

High levels of hazard and near-miss reporting.

Active participation in safety meetings and drills.

Crew members willingly using PPE correctly.

Good housekeeping and well-maintained equipment.

Open discussion of safety concerns without fear.

Procedures generally followed, and shortcuts challenged.

Proactive suggestions for safety improvements from crew.

Low accident/incident rates (though this is a lagging indicator; focus on leading indicators like reporting and participation).

Negative Indicators (Warning Signs):

Low reporting rates (fear of blame, or belief that nothing will be done).

Safety meetings are a formality, with little participation.

PPE usage is inconsistent or only when supervised.

Poor housekeeping, equipment in disrepair.

Crew are hesitant to speak up about safety.

Procedures are often bypassed for speed or convenience (“normalization of deviance”).

Blame culture is prevalent.

High turnover of crew (can indicate underlying issues).

Recurring similar incidents or non-conformities.

5. Challenges to Building and Maintaining a Strong Safety Culture:

Diverse Multinational Crews: Different cultural backgrounds can bring varying perceptions of risk, authority, and communication styles. Building a unified safety culture requires sensitivity and clear, common standards.

Time Pressures and Commercial Demands: The pressure to meet schedules and minimize costs can sometimes conflict with the time and resources needed for thorough safety practices. The Master must resist compromising safety.

Fatigue: Long working hours and demanding schedules can lead to fatigue, which impairs judgment and increases the likelihood of errors. Managing crew fatigue is part of fostering a safety culture.

Complacency: If a vessel has a long period without serious incidents, complacency can set in. Safety awareness needs to be constantly reinforced.

Turnover of Personnel: Frequent crew changes can disrupt the continuity of safety culture and require ongoing efforts to induct and integrate new members.

Perceived “Bureaucracy” of SMS: If the SMS is seen as overly bureaucratic or impractical, crew may become disengaged. The system needs to be user-friendly and seen as adding value.

Lack of Shore Management Support: If the company ashore does not visibly champion safety, provide adequate resources, or act on feedback from the ship, it undermines the Master’s efforts to build a strong culture onboard.

Analysis for the Master (Fostering Safety Culture): Building a strong safety culture is an ongoing leadership challenge that requires sustained effort, not a one-time initiative.

It’s About People, Not Just Paper: The SMS provides the structure, but culture is about attitudes, behaviors, and relationships.

Consistency is Key: The Master’s message and actions regarding safety must be consistent day in, day out.

Empowerment Breeds Ownership: When crew feel empowered and involved, they take more ownership of safety.

Patience and Persistence: Changing a culture takes time and requires persistent effort to overcome old habits or negative attitudes.

Continuous Learning: The Master must also be open to learning and adapting their own leadership style to better foster safety.

Ultimately, a strong safety culture, actively nurtured and led by the Master, is the most effective safeguard a bulk carrier can have. It transforms the ISM Code from a set of documented requirements into a living, breathing commitment to ensuring that everyone goes home safe after every voyage, and that the vessel operates without harm to itself or the environment. This is the true measure of successful ISM implementation.