Learning from crisis: the 2015 and 2017 avalanches in Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen has been hit by two avalanches in 2015 and 2017 causing severe damages to housing and two fatalities. In this study we investigate organised learning processes regarding emergency preparedness and response following the avalanches. Longyearbyen provides a case of particular interest as climatic change rapidly is altering the environmental conditions, including the risk of avalanches. First, the study outlines the organisation, scope and participation of learning processes, that is, who learns, when and what is the scope. Second we investigate whether the lessons learnt are single-loop or double-loop; if they focus on corrective actions of existing systems and policies, or if they address the more fundamental aspects, such as norms, strategies and policies. Third, we consider how contextual factors influence learning. Finally, we investigate how learning has been followed up by implementation. The study concludes that the first avalanche of 2015 led to a broad and inclusive evaluation and learning process and a series of recommended measures, including the establishment of an avalanche warning system. It also initiated a broader double-loop process of reassessing risks, redrawing the plans and maps of Longyearbyen, and raising physical preventive barriers. However, the second avalanche demonstrated the limitations of the established system in 2015. This spurred a range of corrective actions to the system, but also it established that in a time of climate change, historical experience no longer provides a basis for assessing risks

Auditing Industrial Safety Management: A Case Study

As industries are becoming increasingly self-regulatory, external auditing has become increasingly important to ensure that industrial practices are in line with regulations and the public good. This study asks if there is a fit between the industrial practices of safety management and external auditing. It concludes that while companies largely manage safety through operational-level experience and with a low level of formalisation, the audits have a primary focus on formal documentation and gathering audit evidence at the strategic and tactical levels in the organizations. This limits the effectiveness of auditing as a tool both for learning and regulating safety management

Maritime safety and the ISM code: a study of investigated casualties and incidents

Abstract In 1993, the International Maritime Organization adopted the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which requires all shipping companies operating certain types of vessels to establish safety management systems. Nevertheless, two decades later, maritime safety remains a concern. This article studies 94 maritime cases investigated by the Maritime Accident Investigation Branch in the UK. By providing an analysis of reported casualties and incidents, it highlights current challenges in maritime safety. For each casualty and incident, the study reviews the underlying causal factors. These causal factors are then coded according to the functional sections of the ISM Code, covering various aspects of safety management. To investigate human and organizational factors involved in the casualties and incidents, the human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) is applied to code the same data. Finally, the relative seriousness of casualties and incidents is considered to discuss the findings from ISM Code and HFACS reviews. The study found that the main challenges pertain to the development of plans for shipboard operations, local shipboard management, and the ability of the company to verify when such practices deviate from best practices or required standards

New regional fisheries management regimes: establishing the South East Atlantic fisheries organisation

On the 20th of April 2001 the coastal States and fishing nations of the South East Atlantic Ocean adopted the "Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South East Atlantic Ocean". This article analyses the process of negotiating the convention, from its initiation by Namibia in 1995 until its adoption in 2001. It argues that the fisheries played a secondary role in the process, while the negotiations revolved around the appropriate status and implementation of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement of 1995.Regional fisheries management The South East Atlantic Ocean The UN fish stocks agreement

Regional fishery organisations in developing regions: adapting to changes in international fisheries law

This article provides a historical analysis of regional fishery organisations in developing regions. It analyses how these organisations have adapted to changes in international fisheries law from the open access regime until the present. It concludes that the roles of regional fishery organisations in developing regions have reflected the interests of member-countries as they have been constituted by the prevailing international fisheries law.Regional fishery organisations Developing countries International fisheries law

International Cooperation on Search and Rescue in the Arctic

SAR in the Arctic is a complex and dynamic cross-disciplinary activity that requires the combined effort of multiple actors with specialized human and technical resources. Due to limited resources and infrastructure in the Arctic, international cooperation is particularly important. This article applies a conceptual framework drawn from regime-theory to study SAR cooperation in the Arctic. More specifically, we apply the three dimensions of regime effectiveness (outputs, outcomes and impacts) to examine the regimes established by the 2011 Arctic SAR Agreement and the 1995 Barents SAR Agreement. The study addresses the rights and duties established by the regimes and their institutional arrangements for cooperation. Further, it investigates the importance of operational cooperation among response agencies in understanding the development and effectiveness of the regimes. The study concludes that the Arctic SAR regime is still under implementation. The agreement has entered into force but a series of steps needs to be taken for the common SAR system to be operative. Consequently, the regime is in the early stages of development and any evaluations of its impact are premature. The parties have implemented the Barents SAR regime both formally and in practice. Though the regime is generally held to have a positive effect on cooperation between the parties, there is a range of challenges that raise questions regarding its capacity to provide for a coordinated and effective joint SAR operation. The study further concludes that treating regime effectiveness in terms of a causal link between output, outcome and impact should be done with caution. It also argues that the focus of regime theory on interest-based decision-making among regime parties should be supplemented by investigating the operative and informal aspects of cooperation

Auditing Industrial Safety Management: A Case Study

As industries are becoming increasingly self-regulatory, external auditing has become increasingly important to ensure that industrial practices are in line with regulations and the public good. This study asks if there is a fit between the industrial practices of safety management and external auditing. It concludes that while companies largely manage safety through operational-level experience and with a low level of formalisation, the audits have a primary focus on formal documentation and gathering audit evidence at the strategic and tactical levels in the organizations. This limits the effectiveness of auditing as a tool both for learning and regulating safety management

Shipping oil from the Russian Arctic: Past experiences and future prospects

Transport of oil from Russian Arctic ports to Western markets was insignificant prior to 2002. In 2002, there was a major surge, with 5 million tonnes delivered westwards through the Barents Sea. By 2004, this had increased to 12 million tonnes. Since then, annual volumes have been on levels between 9 and 15 million tonnes. In the near future, the flow of oil cargo in the Arctic may rise significantly, as a result of the development of oil and gas fields and port capacities in the North. Oil offloading terminals in the Russian Arctic have been developed and overall shipping capacity has been enlarged, though each terminal has its history of ups and downs. Various logistic schemes have been developed for shipping oil and gas produced in the Northern regions and bringing petroleum cargo to the Arctic coast over long distances using pipelines, railways and river ships. In this paper, we present an overview of experiences with transport schemes at onshore and offshore terminals along the Russian Arctic coast and indicate the prospects for future oil and gas shipping in the North. We examine logistic solutions that reflect Arctic shipping challenges, and pay attention to oil pollution prevention and response systems. We find that logistics solutions are more varied, flexible and complex than often assumed, and that estimates of potential cargo and terminal capacity will need to reflect oil and gas production beyond the Arctic regions. Finally, we note the trend towards greater centralisation of terminal and oil-spill response capacity during the last 15 years

Development and Validation of a Safety Leadership Self-Efficacy Scale (SLSES) in Maritime Context

Extensive studies have highlighted the importance of leadership on safety in the maritime industry. However, current research lacks empirically tested theoretical models with valid and reliable scales for describing and measuring safety leadership in ship operations. This study reports the development and validation process of the first Safety Leadership Self-Efficacy Scale (SLSES) for assessing shipboard officer’s efficacy in exercising leadership for safety in merchant shipping. The research has been divided into three stages, including a content validation study (20 subject matter experts), an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) (n = 150) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) (n = 396). The results have supported a higher order factor structure with three subscales – motivation facilitation, safety management and safety initiative – contributing to the measurement of safety leadership self-efficacy. The resulting scale has revealed adequate measurement properties with good explanatory power, construct validity and high internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.971). SLSES can provide maritime researchers, practitioners and shipping organizations with a tool to assess and enhance safety leadership potentials of current and future shipboard officers. The theoretical, methodological and practical implications of SLSES were discussed