It became apparent that increased effort was, and is, needed to mitigate the risk to Commonwealth and Contractor employees during Ship Repair.

In response to this requirement, Maritime Systems Division commenced what is known as the MSD Ship Repair Contractor Safety Initiative.

The Ship Repair Contractor Safety Initiative is aimed at promoting a Culture of Safety across the Ship Repair environment.

“A principle underpinning this Initiative is that ship repair is a complex and potentially dangerous environment which needs to be carefully risk managed,” said Director General Maritime Support, CDRE Grant Ferguson. “This in turn requires the best efforts of all the parties concerned including contractors, sub contractors, and Commonwealth employees.”

As part of the initiative, a trial Prime Ship Repair Contractor Safety Working Group using Thales, was established and initially chaired by the new Ship Repair Contractor Safety Manager, Navy Reservist LCDR Gary Caldow.

“Gary has been selected to head up this new section, as he has wide experience in ship management and a strong background in Merchant Marine Ship Repair,” said Director Maritime Capability Support, Mr Stuart Knibbs. “In addition he has dual Primary Qualifications gained in the Navy Surface Fleet and Aviation Safety, all roles which are valuable and complementary background to the task at hand. In Maritime Capability Support we are responsible for Corporate Governance for the Maritime Systems Division, and with this new section we will be well placed to focus support on ship repair safety.”

At the working groups all contractor related safety incidents are examined and corrective actions agreed to mitigate and prevent re-occurrence. Issues relating to safety are shared across the working domains of Navy Fleet, System Program Office and Maritime Capability Support, and the contractor.

Following the success of the trial working group, all prime contractors on the Ship Repair Panel will now be invited to participate in similar Prime Safety Working Groups in their geographic region.

“I took over as General Manager in November 2006 and was impressed by the effort the Commonwealth was putting into ship repair safety,” said General Manager Thales Maritime Services, Mr Thomas Birouste. “As one of the largest ship repairers, Thales is totally behind this initiative and I have assigned increased resources and effort to tackle Safety across my division.”

Other elements of the MSD Ship Contractor Safety Initiative which are being examined include:

• An in-depth study of Maritime Systems Division Ship Repair Contractor Safety Management.
• Trial regional Ship Repair Contractor Safety Working Groups.
• Trial incentives in contracts to directly reward good safety performance.
• Professional Safety Investigation (by Navy and contractors).
• Professional safety members embedded within DMO Ship Repair Organisations.
• Increased surveillance and supervision at the working level.
• Increased awareness by promotion of a safety culture at every opportunity.

On Target readers can contact Gary Caldow on 02 93772397 gary.caldow1@defence.gov.au for further details.

In the Navy ship repair environment, safety incidents and accidents know no organisational boundaries