Page 150 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΜΑΙΟΣ 2024

SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT

global shipping industry everything it the Golden Safety Rules and making them
needs to make a remarkable improvement aware of their benefits, it is hoped that all
in safety performance. The Golden Safety shipping industry segments will welcome
Rules target specific behaviours and risk them and embrace them with open arms.
factors that contribute to common inci- After all, no one wants a major shipping
dent types. If implemented, these rules incident that results in fatalities and inju-
can significantly impact safety outcomes. ries, high costs, delays, and reputational
The thinking behind the Golden Safety damage for all parties involved. In addi-
Rules can be traced to the oil and gas tion, safety is increasingly being factored
industry and the equivalent Life-Saving into business decisions, and companies
Rules by the International Association of prefer to work with organisations that
Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), which have have a strong safety record, as it benefits
had a major impact on the industry, under- their overall operational performance and
scoring the effectiveness of such initia- results.
tives. A strong safety performance does not
Together in Safety has gone to great translate into increased costs or higher
lengths to ensure the Golden Safety Rules expenses; in fact, the opposite is true.
are clear, concise, accessible, and practical Crucial to ensuring that an empowering
without causing excessive bureaucracy or safety culture prevails is that senior man-
additional workload for seafarers. They are agement demonstrates visible leadership,
designed to be applied alongside existing thus setting the right tone for everyone
management systems and procedures and else. That entails initiating conversations
are applicable to everyone on a ship. focused on safety and leaders connect-
However, the Golden Safety Rules are only ing with those doing the day-to-day work
as good as their implementation. Posters in order to understand their realities and
and websites showing the Rules are help- challenges and build trust. Although dif-
ful, but further steps must be taken to ficult and time-consuming, it is vital for
achieve understanding and ensure their everyone to feel comfortable enough to
application. They must be introduced speak up and to use incidents as learning
from the very top of the company (i.e., the opportunities.
owner or CEO) and be consistently put into Improving safety performance will benefit
practice by everyone in the organisation if every aspect of shipping, and, in particu-
they are to prevent injuries and save lives. lar, it will help deliver the decarbonisation
Execution is everything. and sustainability agendas. Safety is a vital
By informing everyone in shipping about component of the ‘Triple Win’!

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