COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS IN MARINE CASUALTIES

The present study developed casualty investigation procedures that focused on communications problems. These procedures were applied by U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Investigating Officers in their investigation of 589 marine casualties over a seven-month period. Analysis of the resulting casualty reports determined that communications is a prevalent causal factor in marine casualties, being a factor in 18% of critical vessel casualties, 28% of critical personnel injuries, and contributing to 19% of critical marine casualties overall. The investigations procedures also identified characteristics and causes of communications problems. The single largest problem involved mariners who did not communicate when appropriate. Two types of faulty assumptions were usually the cause of this: they either misinterpreted the situation and did not perceive a threat, or they incorrectly assumed that others were aware of the problem and would take care of it. Training in developing team situation awareness is suggested to combat the first problem. Better crew resource management, specifically empowering crewmembers to speak up when a threat is perceived, would correct the second problem and potentially reduce communications-related casualties by 29%.

• Corporate Authors:

  Battelle Seattle Research Center

  4500 Sand Point Way, NE
  Seattle, WA  United States  98105-0395

  United States Coast Guard

  Research and Development Center, 1082 Shennecossett Road
  Groton, CT  United States  06340-6096

  United States Coast Guard

  Marine Safety and Environmental Protection
  Washington, DC  United States  20593-0001
• Authors:
  • McCallum, M C
  • RABY, M
  • Rothblum, A M
  • Forsythe, A M
  • Slavich, A
  • Smith, M W
• Publication Date: 2000-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 141 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Awareness; Casualties; Communication; Crash investigation; Human beings; Human factors in crashes; Performance; Prevention; Training; Water transportation crashes
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00965951
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: CG-D-21-00,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: DTCG39-94-D-E00777
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 26 2003 12:00AM