SAFETY4SEA Log Issue 22

30 I SAFETY 4SEA log I January 2018 I ISSUE 22 safety4sea.com OPINION I f we can get the crew working efficiently and safely, we believe we could get 75-80% of the problems solved. When we are looking for ways to improve things onboard, we know for sure that the answer is not just adding more procedures or instruc- tions. Rather it is to engage more with the seafarers, bring them onboard and make sure that we understand the challenges they face on a day to day basis, work with them rather than against them. When we started looking at en- gagement, our goal was simple: ‘Zero injuries – zero spills – zero accidents’. I think it is a tough goal but a neces- sary one. If we set anything less than this as a goal, we set our standards Engagement is the key to excellence too low. Second to personal safety is commitment to the environment; thus we want to make sure that we have no spills. As part of the overall safety strategy, we decided to look at three key elements to achieve safety and operational excellence: engagement, empowerment and wellness. For engagement, we decided that the important focus areas are: com- munication (ship & shore), retention, training, shipboard working & living conditions, recognition & rewards. Communication This is about sending information to and from the ships, making sure they understand what is required and actually engaging more with the sea David Price, Wallem Ship Management’s Managing Director, says that safety of seafarers remains a top priority for Wallem and explains why safety is intrinsically linked with operational excellence. David Price Managing Director Wallem Ship Management