18 LMM V I S I O N ISSUE 19 | Q4 2024 ARTICLE safety4sea.com History has shown that being alert onboard is a crucial element to prevent accidents from happening on board ships. A range of factors, in particular high-pressure or stressful situations, can cause a loss of situational awareness, which, in turn, can lead to incidents. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK MCA) has published a section in their Leading for Safety guidance, exploring how seafarers might enhance their situational awareness. UK MCA highlights that the Stop, Look, Assess, Manage (SLAM) is a quick technique you can use when you’re in a situation that requires urgent action to make sure that you maintain situational awareness Data not observed due to passive behaviour, work overload or distractions Misunderstanding perceived information and incomplete mental picture Fail to recognize changes that need to be made according to the evolving environment Lack of training, familiarization and motivation Overworked, stressed and fatigued crew Information overload due to developing computer-run equipment ● ● ● ● ● ● DEFICIENT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAN BE CAUSED BY… BE HERE AND NOW: How to improve situational awareness on board
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