Incident Analysis - where studying the past and prepare us for the future

Safety on board may not be given the priority that many of us would expect. This interesting and concerning fact is due to a number of elements including the drive to reduce costs, retaining the authenticity of the ship and the need to stick to tight schedules. Einar Corwin, Managing Director of the Christian Radich Foundation, discussed historical case studies of ships lost at sea, in which human error, usually management errors, at least contributed to the loss. Cases included Pamir, the four-masted barque which sank in heavy weather in 1957 when her cargo of grain shifted, and Albatros, which hit a squall and sank in 1961. Stability issues were a common factor in the losses. The importance of positive stability was discussed and illustrated - a factor that has often been reduced during re-fits. This is an issue that is particularly important for sailing ships.

Well-documented and implemented routines reduce risk levels considerably. John Lang spoke with passion about the importance of not apportioning blame but learning from mistakes and making necessary changes for the future. “By far the best way to learn about marine accidents is to be in one yourself. However, it is easier and cheaper to learn from the experience of others.” He went on to discuss the 'causal chain', which can often go back months or years, and very often involves management decisions made far from the ship itself.

Some of the common reasons for ships' floundering included bad weather (particularly after a re-fit), water ingress, hatches and doors ill-fitting or not closed. These were often combined with one or two important factors such as assumptions and complacency. Lang concluded by saying: “A good sail trainer does not assume!”

Speakers

John Lang, Former Chief Inspector, Marine Accident Investigation Branch, UK

Einar Corwin, Managing Director, Christian Radich Foundation, Norway