OPTIMISM Training Platform

The idea of the Fitness Triangle underscores the importance of aligning three basic components -Crew, Jobs/Responsibilities, and Policies/Procedures - to ensure the safety of the vessel as well as the crew. Fitting these components into place requires continuous professional education and training of crew personnel about their respective jobs and the protocols that need to be observed. It also requires constant evaluation and updating of policies and duties to ensure that the guidelines are feasible and relevant in operational applications. The shipping industry faces significant challenges in meeting this alignment. There are several accidents and incidents traceable to human errors which occur in the preparation, execution, or compliance stages of safety policies, procedures, and plans. These were largely caused by job design deficiencies, lack of proper correlation of duties assigned with the skills of the crew, and recruitment and selection inefficiency. Results drawn from over 100 accident reports and feedback received through questionnaires reveal recurrent human factors concern in the application of the ISM Code [2].