4 AUGUST 2017 • FOGHORN PVA Continues to Emphasize a Strong Safety Culture There will always be accidents. People, by nature, are fallible. They may not under- stand a piece of equipment they are trying to operate. They forget to put on safety glasses when operating a power saw. They stare a cell phone while crossing a street or driving down the street. They fall down and up stairs. They can be tired, distracted or complacent. To minimize accidents you have to engage people. The crew and your customers both need to be educated. There are many clichés stating what safety is or is not. PVA states that safety is “our true north.” Statistics show that our industry has a very good safety record. How did it happen? Are we safe or are we lucky? In this case, it is possible to make your own luck. Like a gambler that has a card up his sleeve, we have a culture up our sleeve. Through daily inspections, routine maintenance, training and an attitude focused on safety, we have managed to keep accidents and the costs associated with them down. PVA’s Safety Programs PVA has a long history of promoting safety. The late Roger Murphy organized the original PVA Safety & Loss Control Committee, now the Safety and Security Committee, in early 1990’s. Through the years, the Committee has authored the Deckhand Training Manual and the Senior Deckhand Training Manual. The Committee has produced DVD’s (originally tapes) and manuals dealing with Firefighting, Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls, Line Handling, and Introduction to Life Saving Equipment. There is also a PV A Risk Guidance Manual. PVA has also provided access to an online learning management system through Associate member Marine Learning Systems. This system allows access to our training materials through the Internet. Employees can now train at home! If you haven’t investigated it, contact PVA’s Eric Christensen for a portal password. The U.S. Coast Guard approval of the PVA Flagship Safety Management System on June 12 gives members the opportunity to further advance the safety of their entire company. Flagship is a voluntary program. Currently, there are no regulations requiring its use on small passenger vessels; however, most agree that there will be a regulation in the future. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has long advocated the use of safety management in our industry and the Coast Guard agrees. Several years ago, Congress enacted a stature to require certain passenger vessel operators to have safety management systems, but there has been no regulation yet to make this provision effective. PVA decided to get in front of regulation and tailor an SMS specific to the small passenger vessel. If undertaken, the program would minimize the human error factor found in almost all accidents. It also may reduce the number and scope of your inspections. In her approval letter, U.S. Coast Guard Director of Inspections and Compliance, Captain Jennifer Williams stated, “this is an important first step in instilling a culture of safety industry wide, and I greatly value PVA’s partner- ship and commitment to achieve this common goal”. Recognize Safety in Your Operation T h e P VA , t h r o u g h t h e Passenger Vessel Foundation, sponsors two safety awards annually. The Roger Murphy National Marine Safety Award is given to a member company employee who “dem- onstrates, enhances or contributes to the overall safety of their company”. The Captain Elizabeth Gedney Passenger Vessel Safety Award gives recognition to an individual who using training responds to a crisis or an emergency. Both awards are both prestigious and important. PVA is showing that the positive actions of members and their employees are appreciated and furthers the safety culture of the entire industry. The Passenger Vessel Foundation website contains the nomi- nation information and applications for both awards. It doesn’t seem possible that it’s August already. The next holiday will be Labor Day. Enjoy the rest of your summer and stay “SAFE.” Have a safe summer. Jeffery M. Whitaker President n LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Jeff Whitaker The U.S. Coast Guard approval of the PVA Flagship Safety Management System on June 12 gives members the opportunity to further advance the safety of their entire company.