A critical realists approach to seafarer's non-compliance to standards on-boar ship

• Main Author: Dui, Rayan P.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2019
• Subjects: Merchant mariners—Training of; Marine accidents; Merchant marine—Safety measures; Training and Development
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/6629
• Institution: De La Salle University

Filipino seafarers for the longest time are considered as an important component of our country’s overseas Filipino workers. Their remittances are a major contributor to the country’s gross domestic product. Many sectors refer to them as the modern heroes of our country providing support to the economy, their company, and their family. The objective of this paper is to explain the causal mechanisms that resulted to the non-compliance of seafarers following simple instructions in the line of work resulting to unfortunate situations such as maritime accidents. This paper is more importantly directed to the different manning agencies and their foreign principals. Much as they are focused on company profits and revenues, making seafarers competitive as far as their skills are concerned, they are also responsible in keeping their seafarers safe and protected while they are on board. The phenomenon that is being observed is why Filipino seafarers, in spite of extensive trainings and in-house programs meant to ensure that they will follow and comply the standards set upon by the International Maritime Organization governing body, there are still numerous accidents being experience as a results of non-compliance of these procedures. Through this research, the author will be able to contribute in the maritime industry by informing and educating the proper authorities about the significance of addressing non-compliance of seafarers in the prevention of maritime accidents. Seafarers must be sufficiently educated, trained to operate, and must follow procedures and guidelines. In 2107, marine accidents killed 1,163 people and caused almost $197 million in insured loses for ship owners. According to the research of Batalden and Sydnes (2017), some of the causal factors leading to maritime accidents can be attributed to higher levels of the organization. Many of these ship owners have put insufficient effort in handling the activities of their people (Batalden and Sydnes, 2017). Another study by Apostol-Mates and Barbu (2016) states that maritime accidents are caused by human factors. Humans are not robots and cannot be programmed to keep an eye on every processes on board. There are also a variety of elements that may affect their performance such that it is very difficult to adhere to the maritime law for each state or country that their vessel passes by (Apostol-Mates and Barbu, 2016). The critical realist philosophy will be used by the author in describing the phenomenon that is being observed. According to Bhaskar (1989) his argument is that as researchers we will only be able to understand what is going on in the social world if we understand the social structures that have given rise to the phenomena that we are trying to understand. He added that critical realism is a philosophical tool for identifying causal mechanisms within a particular field of activity (Bhaskar, 1989)