Finnish Maritime Personnel's Conceptions on Safety Management and Safety Culture

The purpose of this thesis is to explore Finnish maritime personnel’s conceptions of safety management and its relationship with the concept of safety culture. In addition, the aim is to evaluate the impact of the ISM Code on the prevailing safety culture in the Finnish shipping business. A total of 94 interviewees and seven Finnish shipping companies were involved in this study. Thematic interviews were applied as the main research method for the study. The results were analysed qualitatively. The results indicate that maritime safety culture can simultaneously demonstrate features of integration, differentiation and ambiguity. Basically, maritime personnel have a positive attitude towards safety management systems since they consider safety management beneficial and essential in general. However, the study also found considerable criticism among the interviewees. The interviewed maritime personnel did not criticise the ISM Code as such, yet they criticised the way the ISM Code has been applied in practise. In order to understand the multiple perspectives of safety culture more comprehensively, multiple theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches are needed. This study indicates that safety culture and the impacts of the ISM Code should not be unambiguously studied solely quantitative methods or qualitative methods. By examining safety culture from several methodological and theoretical perspectives, one may gain a more versatile and holistic overview of safety culture.Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan suomalaisten merenkulkijoiden käsityksiä turvallisuusjohtamisesta ja sen suhdetta turvallisuuskulttuuriin. Lisäksi arvioidaan kansainvälisen merenkulun turvallisuusjohtamiskoodin (ISM-koodi) vaikutusta turvallisuuskulttuuriin suomalaisissa varustamoissa. Tutkimusta varten haastateltiin 94 merenkulun piirissä toimivaa henkilöä. Tutkimukseen osallistui seitsemän suomalaista varustamoa. Pääasiallisena tutkimusmenetelmänä käytettiin teemahaastatteluja, joiden tulokset analysoitiin laadullisesti. Tutkimus osoitti, että turvallisuuskulttuurissa voi esiintyä samanaikaisesti yhdenmukaisia, erityviä sekä monimerkityksisiä piirteitä. Lähtökohtaisesti haastateltavat suhtautuivat myönteisesti turvallisuusjohtamiseen ja näkivät turvallisuusjohtamisjärjestelmät hyödyllisinä ja jopa välttämättöminä. Kuitenkin, tutkimus paljasti myös voimakasta kritiikkiä turvallisuusjohtamista kohtaan. Varsinaisesti ISM-koodia ei kritisoitu mutta sen soveltamisesta käytäntöön ei oltu tyytyväisiä. Tutkimus osoitti, että turvallisuuskulttuurin kokonaisvaltaisempi ymmärtäminen edellyttää useamman eri teoreettisen näkökulman ja laajemman menetelmäsalkun hyödyntämistä. Turvallisuuskulttuurin ja ISM-koodin tutkimuksessa ei pidä tyytyä pelkästään määrällisiin menetelmiin tai pelkästään laadullisiin menetelmiin vaan näitä yhdistelemällä voidaan saavuttaa laajempi ymmärrys turvallisuuskulttuurista tutkimuksen kohteena.Siirretty Doriast

Transforming Maritime Safety Culture. Evaluation of the impacts of the ISM Code on maritime safety culture in Finland

The purpose of the METKU Project (Development of Maritime Safety Culture) is to study how the ISM Code has influenced the safety culture in the maritime industry. This literature review is written as a part of the Work Package 2 which is conducted by the University of Turku, Centre for Maritime Studies. The maritime traffic is rapidly growing in the Baltic Sea which leads to a growing risk of maritime accidents. Particularly in the Gulf of Finland, the high volume of traffic causes a high risk of maritime accidents. The growing risks give us good reasons for implementing the research project concerning maritime safety and the effectiveness of the safety measures, such as the safety management systems. In order to reduce maritime safety risks, the safety management systems should be further developed. The METKU Project has been launched to examine the improvements which can be done to the safety management systems. Human errors are considered as the most important reason for maritime accidents. The international safety management code (the ISM Code) has been established to cut down the occurrence of human errors by creating a safety-oriented organizational culture for the maritime industry. The ISM Code requires that a company should provide safe practices in ship operation and a safe working environment and establish safeguards against all identified risk. The fundamental idea of the ISM Code is that companies should continuously improve safety. The commitment of the top management is essential for implementing a safety-oriented culture in a company. The ISM Code has brought a significant contribution to the progress of maritime safety in recent years. Shipping companies and ships’ crews are more environmentally friendly and more safety-oriented than 12 years ago. This has been showed by several studies which have been analysed for this literature research. Nevertheless, the direct effect and influence of the ISM Code on maritime safety could not be isolated very well. No quantitative measurement (statistics/hard data) could be found in order to present the impacts of the ISM Code on maritime safety. In this study it has been discovered that safety culture has emerged and it is developing in the maritime industry. Even though the roots of the safety culture have been established there are still serious barriers to the breakthrough of the safety management. These barriers could be envisaged as cultural factors preventing the safety process. Even though the ISM Code has been effective over a decade, the old-established behaviour which is based on the old day’s maritime culture still occurs. In the next phase of this research project, these cultural factors shall be analysed in regard to the present safety culture of the maritime industry in Finland.Siirretty Doriast

Utilization of Incident Reporting in The Finnish Maritime Industry

Marine traffic is expected to increase rapidly in the future, both in the Baltic Sea and in the Gulf of Finland. As the number of vessels in the area increases, so does the risk of serious marine accidents. To help prevent such accidents in the future, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has put forth the International Safety Management Code (the ISM Code), which aims to improve the safety of the vessels. The second work package of the Development of maritime safety culture (METKU) project investigates the effects of the ISM Code and potential areas of improvement in maritime safety. The first phase in the work package used a literature review to determine how maritime safety culture could be improved. Continuous improvement, management commitment and personnel empowerment and motivation were found to be essential. In the second phase, shipping companies and administrators were interviewed. It was discovered that especially incident reporting based on continuous improvement was felt to be lacking. This third phase aims to take a closer look at incident reporting and suggest improvements based on the findings. Both the IMO and national legislation encourage shipping companies in incident reporting, and on the national level a shared incident reporting system (ForeSea) is being pushed forward. The objective of this research project was to find out the IMO’s attitude towards incident reporting, to establish a theoretical framework of reference in incident reporting, and to observe how reporting is actually being employed on the seas. Existing incident reporting systems were also researched. The study was carried out using a literature review and the results previously gathered in interviews. The results of phase two were elaborated further for themes relating to incident reporting. According to the findings of this research, the theoretical background of incident reporting dates back to the early 20th century. Although some theories are widely accepted, some have also received criticism. The lack of a concise, shared terminology poses major difficulties in maritime incident reporting and in determining its efficiency. A central finding is the fact that existing incident reporting focuses mostly on information flow away from the ship, whereas the backward information flow is much less planned and monitored. In incident reporting, both nationally and internationally, stakeholders are plenty. The information produced by these parties is scattered, however, and thus not very usable. Based on this research, the centralizing of this information should be made a priority. Traditionally, the success of incident reporting has been determined statistically, from the number of reported incidents. Yet existing reporting systems have not been designed with such statistical analysis in mind, so different methodologies might yield a more comprehensive view. The previous findings of seafarers and management (including shipping companies and administration) having differing views on safety work and safety management were backed up by the results of this study. Seafarers find seamanship and storytelling important, while management wants a more systematic and broad approach on safety matters. The research project was carried out by the Centre for Maritime Studies of the University of Turku, in the Kotka unit (Maritime Logistics Research), with coordination by the Kotka Maritime Research Centre. The major financiers of the project were the European Union and the city of Kotka. The financing authority was the Regional Council of Päijät-Häme. Partners in the project were the shipping companies Finnlines Oyj, Kristina Cruises Oy, Meriaura Oy and VG-Shipping Oy, and the ports of Helsinki, Kotka and Hamina. The partners provided both funding for the project and information for the research.Siirretty Doriast

Safety Culture and Maritime Personnel’s Safety Attitudes: Interview Report

”METKU –projektissa” (Merenkulun turvallisuuskulttuurin kehittäminen) tutkitaan kansainvälisen turvallisuusjohtamiskoodin (ISM-koodin) vaikutuksia merenkulun turvallisuuteen ja etsitään kehittämiskohteita merenkulun turvallisuusjohtamisen parantamiseksi. Tämä haastatteluraportti on laadittu METKU –projektin yhteistyössä työpakettien 1 ja 2 kesken. Tähän raporttiin haastateltiin yhteensä 94 merenkulun ammattilaista. Suurimman osan haastateltavista muodostivat aktiiviset merenkulkijat: miehistön jäsenet, päällystö ja alusten päälliköt. Haastattelukohteena oli seitsemän suomalaista varustamoa. Haastatteluissa kerättiin merenkulkijoiden kokemuksia ja mielipiteitä ISM-koodin vaikutuksesta heidän käytännön työhönsä. Suomalaiset merenkulkijat uskovat, että tänä päivänä varustamoiden johtajat ovat hyvin sitoutuneita turvallisuuteen. Myös miehistön asenteet turvallisuuteen ovat ISM-koodin käytön myötä parantuneet. Haasteltavien yhteinen huoli kohdistui jatkuvan parantamisen toimivuuteen. Kaikki haastatellut ryhmät olivat samaa mieltä siitä, että poikkeamien raportointi ei ISMkoodin vaatimuksesta huolimatta toimi kunnolla. ISM-koodin käyttöön otosta on ollut merenkululle selkeää hyötyä. Haastateltavat esittivät hyötyinä parantuneen yhteistyön ja tiedonkulun alusten ja varustamon välillä sekä sen, että merenkulun toiminnan laatu on parantunut. Monet haastateltavat korostivat, että ISM-koodin selkeät turvallisuusvastuut yhtiölle on ollut merkittävä hyöty. Itse ISM-koodiin merenkulkijoilla ei ollut juurikaan huomauttamista. Sen sijaan turvallisuusjohtamisen käytännön toteutuksessa nähtiin parantamisen varaa. ISMkoodin aiheuttamina ongelmina mainittiin mm. lisääntynyt byrokratia ja liian monimutkaiset ja yksityiskohtaiset turvallisuuskäsikirjat. Monet haastateltavat toivovat, että ISM-koodin käytännön soveltamiseen laadittaisiin ohjeita.The purpose of the METKU Project (Developing Maritime Safety Culture) is to look at how the ISM Code has influenced the safety culture in the maritime industry. The project strives to find the best practices for shipping companies to improve their operations by implementing and developing their safety management systems. This is an interim report produced in co-operation between workpackage 1 and workpackage 2 of the METKU project. This report presents the results of the interviews carried out in autumn 2008 and spring 2009. In this report, we discuss the results of empiric evaluations concerning the impacts of the ISM Code. In course of the study, we collected experiences and impressions of the ISM Code by interviewing the personnel of Finnish shipping companies, particularly the crews and officers of vessels. In total, 94 representatives of seven Finnish shipping companies were interviewed. The Finnish maritime community considered that the top management is committed to safety management and the application of the ISM Code. The interviewees reported that communication in shipping companies had improved. The interviewees shared a concern concerning the functioning of the continuous improvement process. The reluctance to draw up incident reports indicated that the continuous improvement process is not functioning properly. Many interviewees indicated that incident reporting should be in some way improved or encouraged. The interviewees named several benefits of the application of the ISM Code. These benefits included better co-operation and communication between shore and shipboard personnel, clarified roles and responsibilities of the maritime personnel, improved quality of maritime operations and formal requirements set for the company in safety aspects. The interviewees recognised various defects in the application of the ISM Code. The Code itself was regarded as satisfactory. The interviewees named increasing bureaucracy and a complicated safety management system as major defects in the application of the ISM Code. The interviewees suggested that guidance in its application should be provided and the documentation of the safety management system simplified.Siirretty Doriast

Developing of Environmental and Disaster Risk Analysis Methods and Environmental Risk Analysis for Steel Sheet Factory

Tämä diplomityö tehtiin Ruukki Metals Oy:n Hämeenlinnan tehtaan toimeksiannosta. Työn tavoitteena oli laatia riskianalyysimenetelmät ympäristö- ja suuronnettomuusriskien jatkuvaan arviointiin. Lisäksi laaditulla ympäristöriskianalyysimenetelmällä tuli toteuttaa ympäristöriskianalyysi tehtaalle niin, että se vastaa viranomaistahojen vaatimuksiin. Työn onnistumiseksi täytyi tutustua lainsäädännön vaatimuksiin sekä erilaisiin riskianalyysimenetelmiin. Lakien ja asetusten lisäksi aineistona käytettiin viranomaislähteitä sekä alan kirjallisuutta. Esimerkiksi VTT:n, ympäristöministeriön ja opetushallituksen julkaisut olivat hyvää lähdeaineistoa. Työn vaatimusten täyttämisessä oli tärkeää tutustua myös työn kohteeseen, Ruukkiin. Kokemuspohjainen aineisto hankittiin tutustumalla tehtaan toimintoihin tehdaskierroksilla, joita vetivät kunkin osaston asiantuntijat. Työn tuloksina Ruukin Hämeenlinnan tehtaalla otettiin käyttöön sekä ympäristö- että suuronnettomuusriskianalyysimenetelmät. Menetelmät julkaistiin sähköisessä järjestelmässä, jossa niiden päivittäminen on helppoa. Ympäristöriskianalyysimenetelmää testattiin ja sen avulla laadittiin osastokohtaiset ympäristöriskianalyysit. Riskianalyysien tuloksina voitiin todeta, että tehtaan toiminta sisältää lukuisia ympäristöriskejä, mutta niiden vakavuus jää vähäiseksi hyvän ennakkovarautumisen vuoksi. Koska analyysimenetelmät laadittiin muokaten jo käytössä olevia menetelmiä vastaamaan Ruukin tarpeita ja resursseja, voidaan todeta niiden täyttävän lainsäädännön vaatimukset. Ympäristöriskianalyysi vastaa viranomaisten esittämiin vaatimuksiin ja jatkossa riskianalyysia on helppo päivittää täyttäen siltäkin osin viranomaismääräykset. Jatkossa tärkeää on kuitenkin sitouttaa etenkin johto analyysien päivittämiseen, jotta työn tulokset näkyvät myös pitkällä aikavälillä

The effects of airborne emissions from the Pechenganickel smelters on water quality and littoral fish communities of small watercourses in the joint Finnish, Norwegian and Russian border area

Appendix 11/15 of the publication "State of the environment in the Norwegian, Finnish and Russian border area 2007" (The Finnish Environment 6/2007)

Effectiveness of Pilotage

The objective of the pilotage effectiveness study was to come up with a process descrip-tion of the pilotage procedure, to design performance indicators based on this process description, to be used by Finnpilot, and to work out a preliminary plan for the imple-mentation of the indicators within the Finnpilot organisation. The theoretical aspects of pilotage as well as the guidelines and standards used were determined through a literature review. Based on the literature review, a process flow model with the following phases was created: the planning of pilotage, the start of pilo-tage, the act of pilotage, the end of pilotage and the closing of pilotage. The model based on the literature review was tested through interviews and observation of pilotage. At the same time an e-mail survey directed at foreign pilotage organisations, which included a questionnaire concerning their standards and management systems, operations procedures, measurement tools and their attitude to the passage planning, was conducted. The main issues in the observations and interviews were the passage plan and the bridge team co-operation. The phases of the pilotage process model emerged in both the pilotage activities and the interviews whereas bridge team co-operation was relatively marginal. Most of the pilotage organisations, who responded to the query, also use some standard-based management system. All organisations who answered the survey use some sort of a pilotage process model. According to the query, the main measuring tools for pilotage are statistical information concerning pilotage and the organisations, the customer feedback surveys, and financial results. Attitudes to-wards passage planning were mostly positive among the organisations. A workshop with pilotage experts was arranged where the process model constructed on the basis of the literature review was tuned to match practical pilotage. In the workshop it was determined that certain phases and the corresponding tasks, through which pilo-tage can be described as a process, were identifiable in all pilotage. The result of the workshop was a complemented process model, which separates incoming and outgoing traffic, as well as the fairway pilotage and harbour pilotage from each other. Addition-ally indicators divided according to the data gathering method were defined. Data con-cerning safety and traffic flow is gathered in the form of customer feedback. The pilot's own perceptions of the pilotage process are gathered through self-assessment. The measurement data which is connected to the phases of the pilotage process is generated e.g. by gathering statistics of the success of the pilot dispatches, the accuracy of the pi-lotage and the incidents that occurred during the pilotage, near misses, deviations and accidents. The measurement data is collected via the PilotWeb at the closing of the pilo-tage. A separate project and a project group with pilots also participating will be established for the deployment of the performance indicators. The phases of the project are: the definition phase, the implementation phase and the deployment phase. The purpose of the definition phase is to prepare questions for ship commanders concerning the cus-tomer feedback questionnaire and also to work out the self-assessment queries and the queries concerning the process indicators.Siirretty Doriast

A proactive approach for maritime safety policy making for the Gulf of Finland : seeking best practices

A rapid increase in maritime traffic together with challenging navigation conditions and a vulnerable ecosystem has evoked calls for improving maritime safety in the Gulf of Finland, (the Baltic Sea). It is suggested that these improvements will be the result of adopting a regionally effective proactive approach to safety policy formulation and management. A proactive approach is grounded on a formal process of identifying, assessing and evaluating accident risks, and adjusting policies or management practices before accidents happen. Currently, maritime safety is globally regulated by internationally agreed prescriptive rules, which are usually revised in reaction to accidents. The proactive Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) is applied to risks common to a ship type or to a particular hazard, when deemed necessary, whereas regional FSA applications are rare. An extensive literature review was conducted in order to examine the opportunities for developing a framework for the GoF for handling regional risks at regional level. Best practices were sought from nuclear safety management and fisheries management, and from a particular case related to maritime risk management. A regional approach that sees maritime safety as a holistic system, and manages it by combining a scientific risk assessment with stakeholder input to identify risks and risk control options, and to evaluate risks is proposed. A regional risk governance framework can improve safety by focusing on actual regional risks, designing tailor-made safety measures to control them, enhancing a positive safety culture in the shipping industry, and by increasing trust among all involved.Peer reviewe