"Focus on risks 2017" is the NMA's third annual report on risks at sea, and is an integral part of the NMA's risk assessment.
Safety management is about establishing systems to reach and maintain a high level of safety, thus being able to easier control risk. Lack of procedures for work operations and weaknesses in organization, management and communication are often mentioned as causal factors in reports after shipping and personal accidents.
- Many of the findings made by our surveyors could indicate that some companies are not doing enough to prevent accidents. Therefore, it is important that the NMA increases the number of inspections in these areas in 2017, says Director General Olav Akselsen. He points out that a positive attitude to safe operations starts at the top.
- The management in the company and on board are responsible for establishing routines and systems ensuring safe operations and that the crew are actively involved in the development of procedures and instructions, says the Director General.
A new focus area every year
The focus area for 2017 has been chosen as a result of the work put into the NMA's annual safety report, «Focus on risks 2017», which was presented at the Conference on safety at sea on September 28th. In the report, you can read more about the background for the choice of focus area, and what the NMA is planning to do in order to follow it up. The report also looks at accident scenarios where lack of safety management is among the causal factors, and analyses the accident situation at sea over the past ten years.
Publication of checklists
In order to enable the industry to take measures themselves in focus areas, prior to any inspection from the Norwegian Maritime Authority, the checklists used by the NMA will be published both in the «Focus on risks» report and here on NMA's web page.