Navigational risk analysis
Safety relies on the ability to identify hazards and measures to mitigate these. Risk analysis is in this context instrumental and this is where ship simulators play a vital role.
The maritime industry has traditionally turned to technology and procedure to enhance safety. This is gradually changing as the value of embracing a broader and more holistic approach to safety is emerging, which implies that safety standards in the future will focus on prevention rather than relying on accidents to drive change.
A process of a navigational risk assessment encompasses:
- identification of hazards
- assessment of the risks associated with those hazards
- application of controls to reduce the risks that are deemed intolerable
- monitoring of the effectiveness of the controls
Identification of hazards
The identification of hazards is the first and most important step in risk assessment, since all that follows depends on it. It must be complete and accurate and should be based, as far as possible, on observation of the activity/job step or through replicating the actual navigational operation on one or more simulators, involving everybody that will eventually be involved in the navigational operation.
Assessment of risk
All identified hazards possess a certain level of “risk” and this level needs to be identified. This is done through performing a risk seminar where all parties involved in the operation participate.
The identified “risk” has two components:
- the severity of the worst probable consequences, if the hazard is realized and,
- the likelihood of the hazard to be realized
To assess the “risk level” posed by the hazard, the agreed level of severity and likelihood is inserted in a “Risk Assessment Matrix” by the participants in the seminar. The matrix will indicate a “ranking” of the risk, helping the RA-team to prioritize their actions and decide if any control measures need to be suggested
- the severity of the worst probable consequences, if the hazard is realized and,
- the likelihood of the hazard to be realized