A comprehensive analysis of maritime incidents from a personal injury perspective

Abstract

Maritime accidents continue to be a significant concern all around the world. Although the public may mostly associate these incidents with vessels and assets, these incidents not only pose threats to significant financial losses but also have bigger consequences, like harm to the environment and potential risks to human life. Accidents involving property loss, fatalities, injuries, or environmental damage are investigated to determine responsibility and root causes, enabling strategies to prevent future occurrences and enhance maritime safety. Reporting and investigating such incidents are vital and required by international laws and conventions. Organizations have integrated thorough accident reporting and analysis into their operations, resulting in comprehensive reports that help prevent future incidents. For instance, The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Annual Overview of Marine Casualties and Incidents 2023 report, covering 2014-2022. Average annual fatalities decreased from 114 in 2014 to 38 in 2022, and injuries from 999 in 2014 to 525 in 2022. Additionally, The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported a similar decline in 2022, with marine fatalities dropping to seven from an average of fifteen. Similarly, The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigates UK maritime accidents and publishes annual reports. From 2013 to 2022, an average of 116 commercial ship crew members were injured annually. Despite these decreasing trends in the total number of casualties, a significant increase is observed in upper limb injuries, particularly hands, and fingers in the reports between 2020 to 2022. This study aims to identify trends causing personal injuries and compare them with findings from MAIB. Such a comparison will help determine whether injury trends are consistent across different organizational environments or if they differ significantly. The ultimate goal is to obtain insights that will guide the development of more effective prevention strategies and safety measures tailored to the unique conditions of the ship's organizational structure. The study examined five years of marine incident data involving approximately 35 MR-sized ships operated by a Turkish ship management company. A comprehensive analysis of variables and root causes of injuries was conducted using descriptive statistics. The company's incident management procedure was integrated with the Marine Systematic Cause Analysis Technique (MSCAT) for root cause analysis. Additionally, the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) classification system was used to further explore numerous factors contributing to injuries. The research analyzed 6,863 qualitative maritime incident reports collected from thirty-five different ships managed by the same company between 2018 and 2023. These reports, a primary qualitative data source, included detailed descriptions of the incident's outcome, severity, type of loss or potential loss, event sequences, and environmental conditions. The methodology employed a data-driven approach, incorporating statistical analysis to interpret the semi-structured and unstructured narrative descriptions. This process began with the preparation of data according to the company's incident management procedures, involving the compilation, classification, and formatting of the data. Each report underwent manual screening to verify completeness. Subsequently, the data were organized and converted into quantitative variables for statistical analysis, while preserving the original text for content analysis. The research focused on four main variables frequently used in maritime accident studies: accidents, near misses, unsafe acts, and conditions. Within this framework, near misses, unsafe acts, and conditions were treated as leading indicators, while accidents were considered lagging indicators. Incidents resulting in personal injuries were analyzed in terms of the severity and location of the injuries, the work processes involved, contributing materials and agents, modes of injury, affected body parts, and root causes. The analysis adhered to the company's incident management procedures, employing MSCAT mapping for detailed root cause analysis and the ESAW classification to further delineate the specifics of the injuries. This comprehensive methodological approach systematically identified and addressed factors contributing to injuries, enhancing the understanding of maritime safety dynamics. The data and statistics used in this analysis do not include personal identifiers such as age, gender, or nationality. Furthermore, information regarding the ranks of individuals involved was not categorized. This decision was based on the understanding that errors are normal and can occur regardless of an individual's rank, gender, or nationality. This approach reflects a focus on systemic factors rather than personal attributes or hierarchical status in understanding incidents. The analysis of data from this maritime company revealed that 37% of all incidents resulted in injuries ranging from minor to severe. Approximately 60% of these injuries were minor and treated with first aid, 27% required medical treatment, and 9.6% led to workday loss and sometimes urgent evacuation from the ship. The areas with the highest occurrence of personal injuries were the engine room (29%), the main deck (19%), and the provision storage areas and galley. The most common types of accidents were being struck by moving objects, slipping, tripping, falling, and bumping into objects. Slips and trips were notably prevalent in critical incidents, accounting for 41% of such cases. The study highlighted that hand and finger injuries were the most frequent, comprising 35% of injuries, consistent with MAIB annual reports. These injuries also accounted for 20% of critical injuries, underscoring their potential severity in maritime environments. Immediate factors contributing to injuries included the improper use of personal protective equipment, failure to adhere to safety procedures, and inadequate securing and protection. In 51% of personal injury accidents, the primary cause was identified as a lack of competence, typically characterized by a lack of situational awareness and risk perception. The study suggests that future research might employ statistical methods such as regression analysis and predictive modeling to identify patterns within datasets. Additionally, collecting more company-specific data and expanding the literature will provide a more comprehensive perspective on injury trends.