The University of Strathclyde, UK is appealing to ship operators, safety professionals and accident investigators to make better use of the Safety Human Incident & Error Learning Database (SHIELD), so that the maritime industry can build up a clearer picture of the role that human factors play in maritime incidents.
SHIELD was originally launched in 2022 as part of the EU’s SAFEMODE project. SAFEMODE was initiated to create a human risk-informed design (HURID) framework to identify, collate and assess human risk factors data, which could then be used to inform future risk-based design and operations in both the maritime transport and aviation sectors.
The SAFEMODE project partners, including the University of Strathclyde, found that more than 80% of maritime casualties and incidents logged between 2014-2021 were attributable to human error.
SHIELD was thus intended to operate as an open repository for this safety data. However, Dr Rafet Emek Kurt, head of the university’s Maritime Human Factors Centre (and leader of the SHIELD development for maritime) has announced that more data is required if SHIELD is to successfully influence future ship design, equipment design and maritime safety policy.
While conceding that SHIELD is currently being used by “major cruise lines, a UK-based ferry operator, safety agencies in Europe and Asia, and a number of accident investigation boards”, Kurt believes there is still a shortfall of incoming, relevant data – and especially data related to the root causes of human factor-related incidents.
“So far, in the absence of high-quality data, the maritime sector has failed to include human factor considerations in critical decision making,” Kurt says. “As a result, envisaged safety improvements from the sector have been ineffective, with accidents continuing to occur at a steady rate after.”
This “high-quality data” should be used to develop new accident and risk models, Kurt believes. “Human factors have long been recognised as a critical element in shipping safety,” he continues, “yet whenever there is an accident…we continue to overload the seafarer with more safety procedures, more checklists, more training. This is largely ineffective in reducing human factor incidents, and increases the cognitive load on the seafarer. We need to address the root cause of an accident to have any meaningful impact.”
Kurt proposes an iceberg analogy for a full view of the root causes of human error
Kurt also proposes an iceberg analogy, with the visible part of the iceberg representing ‘human factors’ and the submerged part representing ‘underlying conditions’. “At the tip of the iceberg, it may be relatively easy to see what happened, when it happened and who did what,” he says. “But the reasons why it happened are not uncovered. SHIELD allows us to take a deeper dive.”
The database does so by assessing input data against various extenuating factors affecting crew performance – for example, excessive workloads and fatigue, stress, team dynamics and human-system interfaces (such as the risk of seafarers being distracted by technology, or over-relying on such systems, thereby compromising their situational awareness). Kurt says: “[SHIELD] goes further by providing insight into how organisational and leadership structures, strategies, cultures and socioeconomics play a part. It’s an effective safety learning platform but we need more companies to upload their data.
“By aggregating anonymised data from participants, SHIELD researchers can identify emerging trends and patterns across the industry. It also helps ship operators by helping them address and identify the major accident contributors not typically picked up in an accident investigation report.”
Kurt adds that shipowners interested in contributing data to SHIELD should contact the University of Strathclyde’s Maritime Human Factors Centre.
