Human Factors in Tanker Shipping: TMSA Element 14
In 2020, OCIMF announced that in the upcoming revision of its guidelines, it would include Human Factors as another integral component in the TMSA. Their goal is to further enhance safety and environmental protection in the maritime industry by giving significant consideration to key human factors when providing guidelines and recommendations.
The guideline “Human Factors: Management and Self Assessment” (September 2021) highlights five key areas for the approach, defines measures, and formulate KPIs for evaluation.
How do you swiftly and sustainably implement TMSA Element 14 in your company?
An answer to this would be: not at all. Because such a change process takes time and cannot be accomplished overnight. Furthermore, the processes should take place simultaneously on multiple levels of your organization. All interfaces and stakeholders must be convinced of the change and the new mindset.
Sustainable Change Management
With the new focus on the Human Factor and the renewal of the safety culture, you are changing the corporate culture as a whole! The changes you are aiming for penetrate deeper into the DNA of an organization than
it may initially appear. You should consider this if you want to achieve real effects and avoid unnecessary internal irritations, turbulence, or even setbacks.
Broad acceptance is crucial
On the one hand, you should ensure that the cultural change is supported and pro-actively implemented by the leaders and informal key figures. This not only emphasises the relevance of the issue but also ensures that internal Human Factors Champions quickly receive convincing resources in the form of competencies, structures, time, and recognition. You need a clear implementation strategy. It should include:
- Backing from management for the issue and the HF Champions
- Competence acquisition and adequate time resources for HF Champions
- Matured documents for HF inspections
- Thoughtful planning and elaborated HF assessment documents
- Structures for HF reports, room for the issue in meetings
- Establishment of standards, KPIs, and their review
Support for the process
Establishing a new, proactive error culture in a company is an ambitious project. The transformation represents a turning point that deeply impacts a company’s culture but can be highly effective. It can only succeed if you create a safe and sustainable commitment in a significant part of your organization. Therefore, in the preparation, implementation, and process, you should seek inspiration, support, and an external, neutral perspective to maintain enough distance, avoid rushing too much, and stay on course without getting stuck.
Our team consists of experts from various industries. With our experience as consultants, process facilitators, and project managers, we keep track of requirements and to-dos, keeping the implementation on course. We tailor our support to your individual needs and the pace you choose. You decide what you need from us and how we can assist you.
Make a mission out of the error culture; we are here to support you. Feel free to approach us without any obligation.
Download our WHITEPAPER for your strategy
