Abstract
As a result of the Exxon Valdez accident in March, 1989, considerable attention has been focused on the role of the crew in maritime safety. It is generally recognized that human error contributes to the majority of the accidents in the aviation and nuclear industries, and recent analyses of marine safety data suggest a similar level in maritime applications. The problem areas also appear to be similar, i.e., fatigue and stress effects on performance, mismatches between levels of automation and skill, poor or inadequate procedures, and human frailty with regard to following procedures.
This session presents four papers which present research and discussion of human factors issues related to work in the maritime environment. These papers present a breadth of topics, including the mariner's interaction with automation, issues of manning, methodology and results concerning “live-aboard” work concepts, and collection of human factors-related data from marine casualties. The papers presented are either directly sponsored by, or associated with, work being carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is responsible for marine safety in U.S. waters. This symposium presents human factors research and applications in the marine environment; however, the issues and results may be useful across a wide variety of transportation and safety areas.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.