ISM Code Implementation

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In a study produced by Dr. Bhattacharya (2009) regarding the ISM code on the management of occupational health and safety in the maritime industry four (4) key findings have been raised questioning its effectiveness.

The first issue that has been identified is the fact that both players (managers and seafarers) involved in the implementation of the ISM code have different perception on the subject. The managers of the shipping companies utilize the ISM code as a managerial tool which is going to improve and promote a safe and healthy working environment onboard their ships. However on the other side seafarers view the ISM code as a bureaucratic formality and burden with little impact in the promotion of a health and safe working environment since as the same study indicates, seafarers rely on their working experience gained and through their daily interaction with their colleagues. Moreover it can be said that the written procedures and guidelines produced by the managers were insufficient.

The second issue that has been raised is the difference in the methodology used in the implementation of the ISM code. The main practices that are being followed to demonstrate compliance with the ISM code is risk assessment, incident / near miss reporting and audit / review. The mentioned study revealed that even though managers and seafarers are able to demonstrate documented compliance with the above mentioned practices, it can be said that there is a difference between its purpose and what it achieved in practice, due to the fact that seafarers involved in risk assessment and incident/near miss reporting practices consider it unnecessary and they produce the necessary documents in order to be showed in compliance with Managers’ requiremen...

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...upational health and safety in the maritime industry. Ph. D. [online] Cardiff University. [viewed on 04 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.sirc.cf.ac.uk/uploads/thesis/Bhattacharya.pdf

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE), 2010 Worker involvement in health and safety: what works? [online] [viewed on 04 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/rospa-wish.pdf

LAPPALAINEN, J. AND SALMI, K. 2009. Safety Culture and Maritime Personnel’s Safety Attitudes: Interview Report. [online] Publications from the Centre for Maritime Studies A 48. [viewed on 04 April 2014]. Available from: http://www.merikotka.fi/julkaisut/Lappalainen_maritime_personel.pdf

STADE, R. 2010. The ISM Code--CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. [online] Chalmers University of Technology.[viewed on 04 April 2014]. Available from: http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/126636.pdf

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