On occasion, safety indicators, such as increasing numbers of identified hazards or deficiencies, increasing numbers of personnel injuries, severe mishaps or near-mishaps or a lack of or decreased training due to operations may warn of significant future safety problems for the command. At these times, or whenever it is necessary to raise the level of awareness of personnel safety, the command should initiate a safety stand-down. Commands should consider safety stand-downs following a safety evaluation to train on or correct deficiencies identified during that evaluation. Commands shall conduct safety stand-downs at the discretion of the Master or Program Manager. A second objective is to generate all hands involvement in continuing safety awareness.
Planning is an essential element to get the maximum benefit from a safety stand-down.
A safety stand-down may be held in conjuncture with a planned safety assist visit that's conducted by a MSC Safety Specialist. Safety stand-downs should not require any actions outside the requirements of operating contracts and therefore should incur no additional expense to the government. The Master shall report the results of completed safety stand-downs, including lessons learned, in the ship's weekly operations summary report and the monthly Safety Council meeting minutes. Publish advanced notice of the stand-down. Conduct a debriefing session with Department Heads following the stand-down.