Unit 6: The Human Element: Cultivating a Culture of Safety

1. On accountability

Maintaining a safe living and working environment on a vessel is a shared responsibility of all on board and ashore. All personnel have a role to play and they can adversely affect others on board by their acts and/or omissions. For these reasons, it is important that:

• there are well-defined rules and guidelines, which are clearly understood;

• responsibilities are clearly defined for all on board and ashore;

• consequences of unacceptable (safety) behavior are made clear; and

• there is a fair, transparent and consistent response to unacceptable safety behavior, commonly referred to as a ‘just culture’.

On accountability, it is necessary to highlight the current separation of responsibility from authority.

The first two Points have been covered under ‘Clearly defined expectations’ and ‘Good communications’ above.