Quality, Safety and Security - trust and mistrust

Legislation must have a structured way of creeping up into the human body, mind and soul. If not, it leaves behind scars caused by the implementation process. Even though it is intended towards sustainable development of the human being and our environment, it also seems to cause stress & conflict.

Legislation must have a structured way of creeping up into the human body, mind and soul. If not, it leaves behind scars caused by the implementation process. Even though it is intended towards sustainable development of the human being and our environment, it also seems to cause stress and conflict whilst it is being implemented.

Whilst the principles and practices of safety, through effective implementation of the ISM code, and those of security, through the ISPS Code, are legislated by the IMO, those of quality are not. Why is this so? Deep introspection leads us to a very startling fact - it is so because survival is not compulsory.

This fact dawned on me when a doctor friend of mine advised me against getting deeply upset when a senior colleague of mine was suicidal during a certain period of his life. ‘We cannot stop anybody from committing suicide’, said the Doctor. ‘Only the person concerned can do so if he chooses to. So create an environment that he would want to survive in.’ How very true.

Quality seemingly takes its root from a clear defined purpose and most importantly integrity of purpose; safety comes from an inherent need for survival after accepting the risk involved; security results from the humane and legal right of an entity to protect oneself against the hazards of external destructive forces. Furthermore, quality and safety (in the conventional sense) pertain to practices of trade, while security requirements come as a result of practices, which tend to stop trade from happening.

Thus, whilst quality and safety are based on trust foundations, security is based on those of mistrust. If we want to continue trade towards sustainable development, we have to learn and accept practices of mistrust.

A fuller version of Captain Achuthan’s article can be downloaded here:

HE00315 - The Human element - foundation of Quality, Safety and Security