Hostname: page-component-5d84bcc8dc-c8dhn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-09-05T00:32:14.382Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Human Factors and Maritime Safety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2011

Christine Chauvin
Christine Chauvin*
Affiliation:
(Université de Bretagne Sud)
*
(Email: christine.chauvin@univ-ubs.fr)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents key models and concepts developed in psychology which help to understand the role of human factors in complex systems. It aims to explain their significance for anyone who wants to analyze the role of human factors in maritime accidents. Reason (1990, 1997, 2000) makes a crucial distinction between “active failures” that are made by first-line operators (captain, officers or members of a crew) and “latent failures” that are deeper causes and upstream factors concerning people who are at a distance from the accident. In agreement with this theoretical framework, this paper proposes examining the role of human factors in maritime accidents at three different levels: i) the level of individual – and namely cognitive – factors of first-line operators, ii) the level of social – and namely interpersonal – factors and iii) the level of systemic or organizational factors which correspond to “latent failures”. For each level, the main and recent contributions of the human and social sciences are presented and then used to analyze an emblematic accident.

Keywords

Cognitive factorsSocial factorsOrganizational factorsMaritime accidents

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Navigation , Volume 64 , Issue 4 , October 2011 , pp. 625 - 632
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Amalberti, R. (1996). La conduite des systèmes à risques. Paris: PUF.Google Scholar
ACSNI (1993). Human Factors Study Group. Third Report: Organising for Safety, Advisory Committee on the safety of Nuclear Installations. Health and Safety Commission.Google Scholar
Brun, W., Eid, J., Johnsen, B.-H., Labertg, J.-C., Ekornas, B., Kobbeltvedt, T. (2005). Bridge Resource Management Training: Enhancing Shared Mental Models and Task Performance? In Montgomery, H.Lipshitz, R. & Brehmer, B. (Eds), How professionals make decisions (pp. 183–193). Mahwah: LEA.Google Scholar
Burns, K. (2000). Mental Models and Normal Errors in Naturalistic Decision Making. Proceedings of the 5th Conference on Naturalistic Decision Making, Tammsvik, Sweden.Google Scholar
Burns, K. (2005). Mental models and normal errors. In Montgomery, H.Lipshitz, R. & Brehmer, B. (Eds), How professionals make decisions (pp. 15–28). Mahwah: LEA.Google Scholar
Celik, M. & Cebi, S. (2009). Analytical HFACS for investigating human errors in shipping accidents. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 41, 66–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chauvin, C. & Lardjane, S. (2008). Decision-making and strategies in an interaction situation: collision avoidance at sea. Transportation Research, part F, 11/4, 259–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chauvin, C., Clostermann, J. P., Hoc, J. M. (2009). Impact of Training Programs on Decision-Making and Situation Awareness of Young Watch Officers. Safety Science, 47/9, 1222–1231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, R. et al. (2005) Designing and evaluating a human factors investigation tool (HFIT) for accident analysis. Safety Science, 43, 147–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Håvold, J. I., & Nesset, E. (2009). From safety culture to safety orientation: Validation and simplification of a safety orientation scale using a sample of seafarers working for norwegian ship owners. Safety Science, 47(3), 305–326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hetherington, C., Flin, R., Mearns, K. (2006). Safety in shipping: The human element. Journal of Safety Research, 37, 401–411.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hollnagel, E. (2006). Barriers and accident prevention. Adelshot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Leplat, J. (1985). Erreur humaine, fiabilité humaine dans le travail. Paris: Armand Colin.Google Scholar
Lützhöft, M. H., Dekker, S. W. A. (2002). On Your Watch: Automation on the Bridge. Journal of Navigation, 55(1), 83–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackay, M. (2000). Safer transport in Europe: tools for decision-making. European Transport Safety Council Lecture.Google Scholar
Morel, C. (2002). Les décisions absurdes – Sociologie des décisions absurdes et persistantes. Paris: Gallimard.Google Scholar
Perrow, C. (1999). Normal accidents.(Original work published 1984). Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Pliske, R. M., McCloskey, M. J. & Klein, G. (2001). Decision Skills Training: Facilitating Learning From Experience. In Salas, E. & Klein., G. (Eds.), Linking Expertise and Naturalistic Decision Making (pp. 37–53). Mahwah, LEA.Google Scholar
Pourzanjani, M. (2001). Analysis of human error in co-ordinating ship's collision avoidance action. Proceedings of ICCGS 2001: 2nd international conference on collision and grounding of ships, pp. 85–91.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, J. (1997). Risk management in a dynamic society: a modelling problem. Safety Science, 27, 183–213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reason, J. (1990). Human error. Cambridge University Press, Paris.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reason, J. (1997). Managing the risk or organizational accidents. Adelshot, Ashgate.Google Scholar
Reason, J. (2000). Human error: models and management. British Medical Journal, 320, 768–770.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robertie, F. (2007). Human Error – A growing problem for owners and Insurers. Paper presented at the International Union of Marine Insurance. Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Rook, L. W. (1962). Reduction of human error in industrial production. No. Report STCM 93-62, 14). Sandia Corporation.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salas, E., Wilson, K. A., Burke, C. S., & Wightman, D. C. (2006). Does crew resource management training work? an update, an extension, and some critical needs. Human Factors, 48 (2), 392–412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westrum, R. (1993). Cultures with Requisite Imagination. In wise, J. A.Hopkin, V. D.Stager, P. (Eds.), Verification and validation of complex systems: human factors issues (pp. 401–416). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar