Every year, Maritime Safety Week gives the industry a chance to pause and ask a difficult question: are we really doing enough to keep seafarers safe? This year, I want to focus on safety management systems (SMS) and the importance of closing the gap between safety in theory and safety in practice. 

A thorough and comprehensive SMS is one of the most powerful tools available to mariners. Required under international law by the IMO, an SMS sets out procedures, processes and policies, guiding crews through routine operations and, critically, identifying risks and setting out how to manage them. Done properly, emergency response procedures are planned in advance, so that when a crisis strikes, nothing is left to chance. 

But an SMS is only as good as its implementation. Too often, our investigations reveal a troubling pattern. Often SMS have failed to prevent an accident because they had not fully identified all the operational hazards. We have also seen examples where SMS were seen as a compliance exercise and were filed away rather than used as a way to engage staff in working safely. An SMS should be a living document that is regularly reviewed and updated. Senior leadership engagement with the SMS is essential because crews take their cue from management.

In particular, the safety learning uncovered during our investigation into a fatal accident on board Laureline bears repeating.

Further information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/marine-accident-investigation-branch