Human Factors Plan for Maritime Safety

The purpose of this report is to present an integrated plan of human factors work oriented toward effectively implementing human factors in the U.S. Coast Guard and the maritime industry. The objectives for meeting this goal are threefold: (1) to identify the human factors issues affecting the regulatory, guidance and enforcement activities of the Coast Guard and those affecting operations in industry; (2) to determine the interrelationships among the issues; and (3) to propose specific human factors solutions that will provide a technical basis for regulation, guidance and design. As a result of numerous interviews, mostly with USCG headquarters personnel, 68 human factors issues were identified. A content analysis determined that these issues could be classified into five broad areas: (1) manning, qualifications and licensing, (2) automation design approaches, (3) safety methods and data, (4) communications, and (5) organizational practices. The issues were addressed by twenty-four detailed solution approaches. These technical approaches are sufficiently detailed to form the basis of Statements of Work for R&D projects. The primary products of these solution approaches are information, tools, and procedures for the effective implementation of human factors into the maritime environment. A suggested ordering of the different projects is given, taking into account that the information derived from several of these projects is a required precursor to other projects.