RTI Marine Services Case Study: Safety Management Systems

RTI was asked to carry out a review of the implementation of the safety management system in a shipping company. Concern had been expressed by senior management that after many years of good safety performance, a series of potentially very serious incidents had occurred. The company thought it was doing "all the right things."  So, what had gone wrong? 

It quickly became apparent that while the company was investigating the incidents as they occurred, they were not identifying the root causes.  These were seen to be inadequate compliance with an insufficient system, deficient internal auditing, and lack of remedial action.  The company has undertaken to:

• review its organizational structure with emphasis on line responsibility,
• evaluate its training programme,
• assess its operational procedures and provision of a safe system of work,
• improve its communications up and down the company structure and, most importantly,
• carry out a human factors audit at all levels to identify problem areas. 

These actions, which RTI identified, together with improved corporate oversight, will assist the company to regain its former track record.