Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2022)

Training Tips for Ships

Tip #32

Are Mariners

Knowledge

Workers?

© Inna/AdobeStock hat is the difference between knowledge and not have a procedure or “rule”. … Knowledge-based ... skills? Which should we focus more on in our mistakes by crewmembers account for 13% [of maritime training, and how does one in? uence the other? accidents].”

When we think about the most important mar- Searching for the Root Causes of Maritime Casualties -

W iner quality, often the ? rst thing that comes to mind is skill. Can Maritime Research Centre, Warsash, Southampton, UK the of? cer or crewmember safely perform the skills required of him or her? After all, if everyone performs their necessary skills It is interesting to note that the study from which the second correctly, what more is there? quote was taken indicates that “skill-based” mistakes account

There is, in fact, much more. Let’s see what the experts have for only 9% of accidents. Fewer than “knowledge-based” mis- to say: takes! So why is knowledge being identi? ed as important - pos- sibly even more important than skills?

“A study by the U.S. Coast Guard found many areas where The performance of any skill must accommodate and adapt the industry can improve safety and performance … the to the context in which the skill is being performed. For exam- three largest problems were fatigue, inadequate communi- ple, weather conditions, proximity to hazards, lighting, noise, cation ... and inadequate technical knowledge.” movement, and many other contextual factors may need to be

Human Error and Marine Safety - accommodated when performing a skill. But since each mariner

U.S. Coast Guard Research & Development Center will face a vast array of novel situations while performing skills throughout their career, it is impossible to train them for every “Knowledge-based mistakes may occur when we have to possible combination of factors. think our way through a novel situation for which we do Similarly, vessel-based technical systems are ever-increasing 10 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2022

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