Safe Manning: Workload Assessment of Deck Officers

Abstract

The determination of Minimum safe manning levels ,their evaluation and approval have been particularly questioned. The research findings indicate that the detailed principles listed in International Maritime Organization Resolution A.1047(27) (IMO, 2011) for establishing minimum safe manning are not adhered to in most instances.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the issues related to the workload assessment procedure for determining minimum safe manning in the context of deck officer’s. Presently, the framework for determining the minimum Safe manning by the administration and companies mainly focuses on the size , engine power of the vessel and route of the vessel. Workload is an interaction between the operator and their task. Workload is a latent variable. Workload should be determined to find a correlation with the safe manning on ships .NASA-TLX and Bedford Workload scale can be administered using survey design method to collect the data on measurement of workload.

The Shipping companies and Maritime administration will be benefitted as the data will be helpful in deciding upon the safe manning levels of deck officer’s onboard a  ship.