COLUMN OP/EDSafety is all About CultureBy Captain Terri BernsteinWe in the passenger vessel industry seek continuous improvement, PVA has initiated develop-strongly believe in safety. We want our ment of a voluntary safety management system program operations to be safe to ensure the well- called FLAGSHIP. This system is tailored especially for being of our crew and passengers and passenger vessel operators and is scalable for operations of the protection of our assets. We work all sizes. The goal is to achieve an enhanced level of safety hard to establish appropriate safety poli- and environmental compliance through a proactive culture cies and programs and we train and drill of continuous process improvement. PVA’s FLAGSHIP is crew to ensure that we are all aware of a coordinated, comprehensive set of processes facilitating the need to be safe and to appropriately respond when an optimal management of safety and environmental opera-accident does occur. tions and mitigating risk. But as we do these things, do we go far enough? Have PVA’s proactive efforts in creating Flagship have been we taken the steps necessary to develop an actual culture recently acknowledged by the former Chairman of the of safety within our organizations? We in the passenger National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Deborah vessel industry have vigorously embraced safety for many Hersman. At a recent public Board meeting Chairman decades. We believe in the value of safety and we work to Hersman stated, “We have very often seen industry leader-establish a culture of safety throughout our organizations. ship actually surpass the regulatory environment, and if After all, our customers demand safe experiences and they there is an opportunity here for PVA to be able to do that, certainly deserve no less. I think that is important.” NTSB is a proponent of safety The passenger vessel industry’s stellar safety record over management systems for all modes of transportation.many years is evidence of an appreciation for the value of The passenger vessel industry faces the unique challenge adopting a culture of safety. Safety culture deserves more of harmonizing best safety management practices across a than just a wink and a nod. It is actually a set of organiza- variety of types of marine operations. Also, as an industry tional principles which guides behavior and delivers results with a substantial amount of seasonal hiring, the need for by reducing accidents. According to the U.S. Department management to embrace the tenets of a safety culture be-of Labor, “Safety cultures consist of shared beliefs, prac- comes even more sensible. tices, and attitudes that exist at an establishment. Culture PVA is working to ensure that the passenger vessel in-is the atmosphere created by those beliefs, attitudes, etc., dustry continues its excellent safety record. Safety is about which shape our behavior.” continuous improvement. It is also about establishing Coast Guard safety statistics point to very few accidents and nurturing a safety culture that underpins this improve-aboard U.S.–