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Improvements to a Fire Safety Management System
Abstract
The statistics invariably show that most onboard fires originate in the engine room. In hazardous conditions, fires can spread to other rooms of the ship and cause the loss of human life and can cause the ship to be out of service or lost completely. To prevent these serious consequences, the engine room crew should be aware of hazards and ways to prevent them. It is also advisable to support their routine activities and actions in critical situations with an appropriate management system.
For this reason, a survey was conducted at the beginning of 2019 of engine room crew members employed by a European shipowner, as a contribution to an analysis of fire safety management. Based on the results of the survey, some of the elements of the fire safety management system of the ship engine room are described. A properly constructed system that is understandable and accepted by the crew is one of the most important factors in increasing fire safety on a ship.
Familiarisation with adequate procedures can significantly contribute to the successful prevention of accidents. This paper also proposes a checklist based on suggestions by the crew, which may be helpful in onboard fire prevention.
... The potential for gas leaks heightens the risk of fires in ER, particularly in ships with dual fuel engines like Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) and Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). The occurrence of a fire or explosion not only inflicts substantial damage on the environment but also poses severe risks to equipment and personnel [32]. Various types of ships have reported severe and extremely severe fire incidents between 2000 and 2014 per indicated Table 1 [24]. ...
... • Controls, overhauls, inspections, repairs, measurements, and keeping spaces tidy and in order performed by the ship's ER crew using due and correct procedures supported by experience and care may substantially assist in effectively maintaining an adequate fire safety level in the machinery space. [32,33] Explosion ...
... The authors proved the hypothesis that the quality of the oil affects the durability of lip seals and elaborated a maintenance system that is understandable to the crew, which is essential for increasing the durability of the ship. Familiarisation with adequate procedures can significantly contribute to the successful prevention of accidents [2]. When analysing the literature, two different opinions were identified. ...
... Historical data on both dependent (repair time) and independent variables (type, age of a ship) to establish the relationship between modes and repair time was used. A multiple linear regression analysis is applied in order to identify the mathematical relationship between modes and repair time (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). The relationship between both dependent and independent variables is described by the vector of regression coefficients. ...
Ship maintenance is regulated by both the state and the classification society. The scope of maintenance works depends on the age of the ship and includes a dock, intermediate and special inspection. The problem is to estimate the reliable time of the ship maintenance and the downtime at the shipyard. The purpose of this article is to develop a more accurate model to predict a ship’s overall maintenance time. A multiple linear regression model is developed to describe the impact of historical data on hull repair, painting time, piping, age, structural and hull plate replacement for ship maintenance. In the literature, the least squares method is used to estimate unknown regression coefficients. The original value of the article is the use of a genetic algorithm to estimate coefficient values of the multiple linear regression model. Necessary analysis and simulations are performed on the data collected for oil and chemical or product tankers. As a result, a significant improvement in the adequacy of the presented model was identified.
... This can be achieved through a comprehensive analysis of fire consequences within these areas, proposing alternative designs or arrangements that integrate diverse risk reduction measures [22,23]. Additionally, the implementation of a robust fire safety management system is vital [24]. Fire accidents cannot be entirely prevented on ships, but numerous measures can be implemented to mitigate their impact, thereby offering safer alternative ship designs. ...
Fire models are categorised as zone models and field models. Field models excel in accuracy, whereas zone models outperform field models in terms of computational time and cost efficiency. Through comparison between Consolidated Fire and Smoke Transport (CFAST), representing zone models, and Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), a benchmark field model, the research discussed in this paper investigates the feasibility of employing zone models to predict the consequences of a potential fire scenario on an accommodation deck of a reference small passenger ship. Such a comparison is the first attempt to study the differences between the two modelling techniques for cruise ships. The findings of this research indicate that CFAST predictions align well with FDS results in the room of fire origin, the cabin. However, the agreement between CFAST and FDS results gradually weakens when continuous spaces are modelled as contiguous compartments like in connected corridors. This study suggests that zone models can serve as a tool for conducting fast conservative comparisons between established rule-based designs and potential alternative designs, particularly concerning the life safety of crew and passengers of small passenger ships. Such simplified models adapt well to their possible future application to extensive safety risk analyses for passenger ships.
... The research in [8] is focused on the issue of engine room fires, highlighting the inherent dangers and defining fire safety management as an important factor in efficient fire prevention. In this regard, a survey on fire safety in the engine room was carried out, resulting in proposals for the improvement of engine room fire safety management. ...
The current research is focused on the identification of cargo containers in a stack from their images in the infrared and visible spectra, in order to locate the container-origin of ignition within the cargo temperature control and fire safety system. The relevance of the topic is reinforced by the functional requirements for shipboard safety, which are embodied in Chapter II-2 of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, and demanded by the necessity of enhancing safety measures during cargo transportation by the world container fleet. The thermal imager’s field of view (FOV) and the coordinate dependencies between the object and its image have been studied and modelled, and an algorithm for fire detection has been defined within the scope of the current research in connection with the containers within the camera’s FOV. A corresponding verification has been carried out by means of simulation modelling using the Unity and C# programming language capabilities.
... The frequency and extent of loss in life or economic damages have been increasing along with the population growth. So, to check the catastrophic misfortunate instances of fire and controlling the after-effects, stringent rules must be followed [4][5][6]. Broadly, the rules can be divided in three categories as shown in the Figure 1. ...
Gemilerin hareketi, seyri ve manevrası gemi içine konumlandırılmış ana makinenin itici gücü ile sağlanmaktadır. Geminin itici gücünü oluştura ana makine ve bu ana makinenin işletilmesine yardımcı olan makineler, makine dairesi adı verilen karmaşık bir yapıyı oluşturur. Gemilerin faaliyetlerini yürütebilmeleri ve gemide iş emniyetinin sağlanabilmesi için emniyetli bir çalışma ortamının bulunduğu bir makine dairesi son derece önemlidir. Bu kapsamda çalışmanın amacı, gemi makine dairesinde iş kazalarına yol açabilecek önemli tehlikelerin belirlenmesi, risklerinin analiz edilmesi ve gemi makine dairesinde emniyetli çalışma ortamının oluşturulmasına katkı sağlamaktır. Bu amaca yönelik olarak da uzman görüşleri ve literatür incelemesi sonucunda, gemi makine dairesi için iş kazası oluşturabilecek 11 tehlike belirlenmiş ve bu tehlikelerin risk analizleri Fine-Kinney ve AHP yöntemleri birlikte kullanılarak yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın AHP bulgularına göre, yangın en önemli tehlike iken elektrik çarpması ikinci en önemli tehlike, kimyasal maddeler ve el aletleri kullanımı ise bu tehlikeleri takip eden diğer önemli tehlikeler olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Tehlikelerin oluşturduğu iş kazalarına yönelik risk skorlarının hesaplanması için Fine-Kinney yönteminin risk skoru skalasından yararlanılmış, yangın önemli risk olarak görülmüştür. Elektrik çarpması, kimyasal maddeler ile çalışma ve el aletleri kullanımı olası risk olarak görülmüş ve gözetim altında uygulanması gerekliliği vurgulanmıştır. Bu çalışmada gemi makine dairesi için iş güvenliği açısından tehlikeler tanımlanmış, sonrasında da bütünleşik bir yöntemle risk analizleri yapılmış ve düzeltici önleyici faaliyetler üzerine önerilerde bulunulmuştur
According to an official study conducted by the IMO Correspondence Group on Casualty Analysis concerning the fire incidents occurred on the vehicle-decks of RoPax ships, covering the period from 1994 to 2011, it has been shown that there has been a very serious incident occurred every other year since 2002, resulting in six constructive total losses. The results of this review shed the light on the need to investigate the application of fire models to simulate fire scenarios that may occur on the vehicle-decks aboard RoPax ships. This will be very useful for the RoPax designers who are willing to introduce new technologies or deviate from the current prescriptive regulations of fire safety design in order to reduce the risk of such catastrophic accidents. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a comparison between the predictions of three different fire models and the experimental results of a model-scale fire test that represents a fire scenario on a vehicle-deck aboard a RoPax ship. A statistical analysis technique was used to illustrate the ability of each fire model to predict five outputs of concern. The main conclusion of this comparison is that there is always an optimal fire model that can predict one or more of the five outputs of concern with results in good agreement with the measured values.
Implementing safety management (ISM Code) aims to promote a good safety culture in the maritime industry. However, although this has improved safety, it has also paradoxically increased bureaucracy and overlooked operative personnel. At the same time, safety science has undergone a paradigm shift from Safety-I, which is traditional and error based, to Safety-II, which focuses on the potential of the human element. To determine whether Safety-I is dominant in the prevailing culture, or whether any Safety-II ideas are emerging, we studied the current thinking and the prerequisites for improving maritime safety culture and safety management. We interviewed 17 operative employees and 12 safety and unit managers (n = 29), both individually and in groups, in eight Finnish maritime organisations representing the maritime system (shipping companies, authorities, vessel traffic service, association). We also analysed 21 inspection documents to capture practical safety defects. To the employees, safety culture meant openness and well-functioning, safe work. However, this was not always the case in practice. Safety management procedures were portrayed as mainly technical/authority focused, and as neglecting the human element, such as the participation of operative personnel in safety improvements. We also found several factors that support improving maritime safety culture. The ISM code seems to have supported traditional methods of safety management (Safety-I), but not the creation of a positive safety culture, which the Safety-II paradigm has highlighted. System-wide safety improvement, participation of the operative personnel and open sharing of safety data were the areas in need of development. These were already being created in and among maritime organisations. To improve maritime safety culture in a concrete way and to achieve Safety-II in practice, we need a new focus and competence. Policy, procedures, and practical tools and models should use the human element as potential.
The International Maritime Industry (IMI) is a global web of shipping, connecting all Continents and bringing together mariners from a multitude of national, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Wherever humans interact, they communicate in some form or another and the ability to communicate competently is the cornerstone of safety at sea. This paper identifies the growth of English as the lingua franca of the sea, as a framework for the later discussion on current teaching practices. We consider that Maritime English (ME) fits into the category of a special-purpose form of English, in that it has generated, modified or adopted from other languages many terms and phrases that are only used in the IMI. This paper considers safety-to-practice as a factor in curriculum design, teaching and assessment as the basis for ME competence. Further, we propose opportunities to move industry focus forward, through collaboration with stakeholders and discussion about teaching practices. This paper identifies a gap in maritime teaching practices. This paper further explores the use of authentic teaching as a way forward to improve maritime communication.
As a complex socio-technical system marine transportation is open to risks. Due to the efforts of international organisations, flag and port administrations, classification societies and ship-owners the safety record has steadily improved. However, marine accidents resulting from inadequate safety culture still occur. In this paper examples of recent accidents related to different dimensions of safety culture are provided. The role of the master in achieving an enhanced safety is emphasised.
Shipping is a high-risk industry. The aims of this conceptual paper are to build a framework showing in what way safety onboard is influenced by trust, and to identify the main obstacles to trust-building within the shipping industry. To meet these aims, a literature review and a pilot study are conducted. The study shows that interpersonal trust from employees to managers, and among seafarers, seems to be a prerequisite and an indirect factor, or mediating variable, that influence safety-related organizational outcomes positively and seems to reduce human errors. Interpersonal trust seems to be most valuable in weak situations, which means situations that are not critical and when no exact guidance or incentives to behave in a particular way are needed. An optimal level of trust exists onboard, and because of the high-risk environment, this optimal level of trust is expected to be relatively high. The main obstacles to trust within the shipping industry seem to be the dual employment practice, the physical distance between onboard, crewing agency and onshore, the reduced competence requirements, the frequent reorganization of the crew and multiculturalism. The paper contributes to the trust and to the safety literature by a new framework and to the development of 11 hypotheses on trust and safety. Finally, the paper is indicating that trust may be the missing piece in the safety puzzle.
Introduction
Seafaring is an extremely demanding profession that takes place in one of the most dangerous work environments possible. The unpredictable and demanding working conditions foster a high potential for risks and accidents.
Objectives
To examine how sleep quality, fatigue and safety climate combine to influence perceptions of risk among seafarers.
Method
Participants were 151 seafarers working in the deck or machine departments on board 11 ships belonging to a Norwegian company. Questionnaires were administered at two different time points, approximately one week apart.
Results
Perceptions of risk of personal injuries and ship accidents increase when seafarers are fatigued. We also found that fatigue is related to poor sleep quality and that safety climate predicted both sleep quality and fatigue one week later.
Conclusions
The findings point to the importance for maritime organizations to be cognizant of the causes and consequences of fatigue among their employees, and that that policies and prioritizations are being perceived and interpreted by seafarers and may influence their sleep quality and vigilance when working at sea.
The safety record of the international merchant shipping industry has shown a continual improvement for a prolonged period due to its ability to learn from incidents and prevent recurrence; through training, education, technology development and regulatory change. However, the annual rate of ship losses has remained relatively unchanged in recent years. The industry has become accustomed to a safety regulatory regime based heavily on embedding lessons from incidents. That regime has served it well for more than a century but the industry is experiencing rapid change, which presents a challenge to this approach.