Revision of the American Bureau of Shipping Guidance Notes on the Application of Ergonomics to Marine Systems - a Status Report
Authors: McSweeney Kevin P. , Baker Clifford C. , McCafferty Denise B. 
Published: October 2008

The publication of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Guidance Notes on the Application of Ergonomics to Marine Systems in 1998 was well received by the maritime industry, many organizations having adopted the Guidance Notes as a design reference. The acceptance of this document has been based on the fact that the Guidance Notes provide an industry specific source of ergonomics criteria that can be applied both domestically and internationally. When used in concert with human factors engineering design processes, the Guidance Notes and processes together provide the full range of information and data needed to integrate humans and machines. Since the time of publication, further review of the document and feedback from a variety of sources has motivated ABS to revise and augment the document. This paper presents an overview of the Guidance Notes on the Application of Ergonomics to Marine Systems and the aspects under revision.

Introduction

That human error directly causes or contributes to marine casualties if often stated. An accepted figure is that 80% of accidents involve human error in one way or another, be it the initiating cause, a cofactor that exacerbates unsafe conditions, or in failing to mitigate the effects of errors. National and international organizations are working very hard to wrest control of the factors that are associated with the incidence of human error. The International Maritime Organizations (IMO), for example, has instituted the International Safety Management Code ("ISM Code") requiring formal safety management systems (SMS) that will track and monitor risks (including human risks) and prescribe/guide responses to unsafe conditions or events. Updated international Standards for Training, Certification, and Watchstanding (STCW) have been put forth that establish requirements for mariner readiness.

Overview of the ABS Ergonomics Guidance Notes

On the classification front, ABS contributions have been to provide a multifaceted approach to attack the human error issue. The Guidance Notes on the Application of Ergonomics to Marine Systems is just one of the tools that ABS has developed with the specific objective of reducing human error.

The focus of ergonomics, the study of the role of personnel in the safe and efficient operation of complex industrial systems, has greatly expanded in recent years to provide effective means to design equipment for human use, and address management, organizational, ambient environmental, and personnel and social factors. However, applications of ergonomics to the maritime industry are particularly scarce. It is fortunate then, that the importance of the human element in maritime safety is increasingly recognized by the shipping and offshore communities and has received increased attention due to the efforts of organizations like the United States Coast Guard, Health Safety Executive (HSE) and the IMO. The Guidance Notes were prepared as a step in fostering the application and understanding of this knowledge.