Risk assessment and Management onboard ship

RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT ONBOARD SHIP

Working onboard can be hazardous if the proper precautions and safety measures are not taken.

Accordiing to study approximately 80% of all accidents at sea are caused due to human error, which includes lack of understanding or skill in how to work safely, ignorance of job hazards with attitude that 'I did this job many times, it is not hazardous'.Such carelessness and ignorance leads to accident.

So to avoid such accidents we should carry out risk assessment and management on board to keep everyone safe.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk assessment is the overall process to identify the risk factor in your work that may cause potential harm to people or property.

1)So when analysing risks we have to first identify the hazard that can create risk

e.g. working at height, enclosed space entry, slippery surface, lifting heavy weight, chemicals and electrical hazards, etc.

2)Then we have to evaluate the level of risk by making score matrix for each level of risk where it is high risk, moderate risk or low risk.

 After identification and evaluation of risk ,risk management have to be done.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk management refers to practice of taking preacautionary steps to reduce the risk.

It includes a risk acceptance and risk treatment 

Risk acceptance is a decision to continue the work after entering the event risk to risk profile matrix  and you find out that it is acceptable, otherwise re-start risk identification and reduction of risk then further continue the job with proper precautions.

Risk treatment include risk reduction :-

1)By decreasing the likelihood of event means to decrease the number of times the event performed. 

2)By creating safe working area.

3) Effective communication among crew reduces risk level.

4)Find less hazardous way to perform the job using personal protective equipment.

Example of risk reduction

•Suppose you have to lift life-raft but it seems to be heavy and lifting it alone involves high risk, then to reduce risk  you can do following measures :

    - inform other 3 crew to aid you in job

    - secure life-raft to trolley with the help of         rope 

    - put wedges at wheel of trolley before              transportation to avoid any gravity                  movement of trolly

    - once all 4 crew ready, remove the                      wedges and start transporting life-raft.