Are Mariner near Misses Influencing Design?

Abstract

In an ongoing research effort by the American Bureau of Shipping, Lamar University, and vessel operators, more than 18,000 reports of maritime near misses have been collected. The focus of this paper is on near-miss reports that included a recommended design change on or to the vessel and any related quality or safety management system. Limited consistency was found in the definition of a near miss and the type of near-miss data being collected. Most of the near-miss reports for this study contained some form of recommendation or corrective action. This review also found apparent differences in vessel operator safety program maturity among the companies providing near-miss data. As a result, this investigation focused on the recommended corrective actions and associated hazard-control processes. Additionally, based on the findings of limited consistency, this paper discusses core components for near-miss reporting and for an effective near-miss management system.