Risk Management for Work Stress at Rees Shipping Company Seafarers International Research Centre...

Risk Management for Work Risk Management for Work Stress at Rees Shipping Stress at Rees Shipping

Company Company

Seafarers International Research Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC)Centre (SIRC)

Cardiff University, UKCardiff University, UK

www.sirc.cf.ac.ukwww.sirc.cf.ac.uk

Rees Shipping Company Rees Shipping Company

• Established in 1925 by James Rees in South West Established in 1925 by James Rees in South West EnglandEngland

• Was one of many small scale ship companies in Was one of many small scale ship companies in the area at the time, but is the only one still the area at the time, but is the only one still operating todayoperating today

• Initially the fleet consisted of 3 general cargo Initially the fleet consisted of 3 general cargo vesselsvessels– Employed seafarers from the local areaEmployed seafarers from the local area

• Since then has expanded into other areas: Since then has expanded into other areas: oil and bulk carriersoil and bulk carriers– Present day fleet consisting of 14 vesselsPresent day fleet consisting of 14 vessels

• More staff have been taken onMore staff have been taken on– Seafarers recruited from across EuropeSeafarers recruited from across Europe

• James Rees retired in the 1960’s, but the James Rees retired in the 1960’s, but the company is still family ownedcompany is still family owned

Stress factors and impact of Stress factors and impact of stressstress

• In recent years the company has expandedIn recent years the company has expanded– Has taken on a number of new vesselsHas taken on a number of new vessels

• The number of charters has also increasedThe number of charters has also increased– Increased workloads for those onboardIncreased workloads for those onboard

• Caused a number of difficulties for those Caused a number of difficulties for those onboardonboard– Concerns about vessel safety and well-being of crewConcerns about vessel safety and well-being of crew

• Thus external experts from the Seafarers Thus external experts from the Seafarers Consulting Centre (SCS) were brought inConsulting Centre (SCS) were brought in– Dr James McTannenDr James McTannen– Dr John RayDr John Ray

Typical fleet vessel - MV TallaniaTypical fleet vessel - MV Tallania

• Small oil products tanker (300 gross tonnes)Small oil products tanker (300 gross tonnes)

• Operates mainly in UK coastal watersOperates mainly in UK coastal waters

• Fairly old being built in 1990Fairly old being built in 1990

CAPTAIN

MOTORMAN

CHIEF OFFICERCHIEF ENGINEER

RATINGS *2 COOK/ RATINGRatings

Officer

Captain

David Fisher

• Unfamiliar with new Filipino crew• Long working hours• Frequent port visits and quick turn around times• Increased amounts of paperwork• External time pressures

Chief Officer

Fitz Kengrad

• High workload• High levels of paperwork• Unclear about role and associated duties

Chief Engineer

Jim McFadden

• Experiencing personal problems at home• Long working hours• Poor communication with Filipino crew• Does not socialize with others onboard

Stress factors experiencedStress factors experienced

Motorman

Serge Dureza

• New to the company• Wants to understudy for 4th engineer certificate• Worries about contract renewal• Misses family

Ratings

Romulo Santos Bayani Gonzales Roberto Del Rosario

• First time working in a European company• Poor English• Long working hours• Poor facilities for communication with families• Worries about contract renewal• Non-reporting of illness and injuries

What are the main problems What are the main problems onboard the company’s onboard the company’s vessels?vessels?

Are these problems specific to the Are these problems specific to the maritime industry? How do maritime industry? How do they differ to those they differ to those experienced in onshore experienced in onshore industries?industries?

What are the challenges facing What are the challenges facing the company, and how do the company, and how do these cause stress onboard the these cause stress onboard the vessels?vessels?

In what way do concerns about In what way do concerns about job insecurities affect the job insecurities affect the individual?individual?

Risk assessment methodology Risk assessment methodology and implementationand implementation

• Risk Management ParadigmRisk Management Paradigm1)1) Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

2)2) Risk ReductionRisk Reduction

• Initially collected company information Initially collected company information on:on:

– Ship type, size, number of crew, nationalityShip type, size, number of crew, nationality– Information about hierarchical organisation Information about hierarchical organisation

and number of crewand number of crew– Information about accidents and near missesInformation about accidents and near misses

• Steering group committee set upSteering group committee set up

• A member off the SCC team visited each A member off the SCC team visited each vesselvessel– Conducted Work Analysis InterviewsConducted Work Analysis Interviews

• Risk Assessment Questionnaire constructedRisk Assessment Questionnaire constructed– Additional questionnaires also added (stress, job Additional questionnaires also added (stress, job

satisfaction, social and physiological well-being)satisfaction, social and physiological well-being)

• Sent to all employees (both office and sea Sent to all employees (both office and sea staff)staff)

• Main stress factors indicated by Main stress factors indicated by questionnaire survey:questionnaire survey:

– Poor onboard social interactions (relating to Poor onboard social interactions (relating to rank differences and communication problems)rank differences and communication problems)

– High workloads (hours, number of tasks, High workloads (hours, number of tasks, paperwork)paperwork)

– Poorly defined roles for crewPoorly defined roles for crew

– Time pressures (turn around time, leaving port)Time pressures (turn around time, leaving port)

– Worries about contract renewalWorries about contract renewal

– Poor communication with familiesPoor communication with families

– Minor illnessesMinor illnesses

What are the main steps in the What are the main steps in the risk assessment process?risk assessment process?

Why were members of SCC Why were members of SCC chosen to undertake the chosen to undertake the interviews, and not people interviews, and not people from Rees Shipping from Rees Shipping Management?Management?

How does the target population How does the target population being located at sea affect the being located at sea affect the risk assessment process?risk assessment process?

What was the aim of the risk What was the aim of the risk assessment survey?assessment survey?

What are the main problems in What are the main problems in the present company?the present company?

Prevention and Prevention and intervention techniquesintervention techniques

• Steering group committee meeting called Steering group committee meeting called to developed a plan of actionto developed a plan of action– Appropriate intervention measures were Appropriate intervention measures were

discusseddiscussed

– It was agreed that the ship’s safety officers It was agreed that the ship’s safety officers would act as onboard trainerwould act as onboard trainer

– A timeframe for the implementation of A timeframe for the implementation of intervention measures was outlinedintervention measures was outlined

– All crew were to be informed of intervention All crew were to be informed of intervention measures and their effectiveness by a regular measures and their effectiveness by a regular ship bulletinship bulletin

Improving social interactionsImproving social interactions

• Safety officers given training to improve Safety officers given training to improve crew interactioncrew interaction

• Safety officers would review social and Safety officers would review social and recreational facilitiesrecreational facilities

Communication problems and language skillsCommunication problems and language skills

• Company would pay for English lessons Company would pay for English lessons during seafarers’ leaveduring seafarers’ leave

Stress prevention and intervention Stress prevention and intervention measuresmeasures

High workloadsHigh workloads

• Provide additional staff at the dock sideProvide additional staff at the dock side

• Safety officers would review onboard procedures Safety officers would review onboard procedures and paperworkand paperwork

Unclear roles and responsibilityUnclear roles and responsibility

• Each crew member to be provided with a Each crew member to be provided with a documented outline of their role and documented outline of their role and responsibilities onboardresponsibilities onboard

Poor communication with familiesPoor communication with families

• Computer to be installed in the mess room for Computer to be installed in the mess room for emailsemails

• Crew provided with a monthly supply of subsidised Crew provided with a monthly supply of subsidised phone cardsphone cards

What are the roles of the SCC What are the roles of the SCC team, those in the offices, and team, those in the offices, and those onboard the vessel in the those onboard the vessel in the implementation of the stress implementation of the stress prevention measures?prevention measures?

What challenges does the target What challenges does the target population of stress prevention population of stress prevention measures being at sea present measures being at sea present in reference to planning of in reference to planning of intervention measures?intervention measures?

What is a reasonable timeframe What is a reasonable timeframe for the implementation of the for the implementation of the suggested measures to be fully suggested measures to be fully implemented, and how long implemented, and how long should they be in place before should they be in place before their effectiveness can be their effectiveness can be evaluated?evaluated?

Evaluation of risk management Evaluation of risk management process and interventionprocess and intervention

• Risk management process to be repeated Risk management process to be repeated initially after 18 months, and then yearlyinitially after 18 months, and then yearly

• Interviews conducted to evaluate the Interviews conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention measureseffectiveness of the intervention measures

• Improvements were reported relating to:Improvements were reported relating to:– Working practicesWorking practices– TrainingTraining– Communication with familiesCommunication with families– Onboard communication and interactionsOnboard communication and interactions

• Risk Assessment Survey re-administeredRisk Assessment Survey re-administered– Lower level of stress and minor illness foundLower level of stress and minor illness found– Increased levels of job satisfaction and Increased levels of job satisfaction and

commitmentcommitment

• Rees Shipping Company decided to develop Rees Shipping Company decided to develop a stress and risk management policy which a stress and risk management policy which would be conducted on a yearly basiswould be conducted on a yearly basis

Why do the intervention Why do the intervention measures take longer to set up measures take longer to set up in the context of the maritime in the context of the maritime industry?industry?

How can interventions be How can interventions be evaluated?evaluated?

What are the benefits of this What are the benefits of this repeated process of repeated process of evaluation?evaluation?

What are the advantages and What are the advantages and disadvantages of external disadvantages of external experts carrying out the initial experts carrying out the initial evaluation processes?evaluation processes?