Take 10 #23: Situational awareness
Ten top tips for improving and enhancing your situational awareness on board
1 Most important
Situational awareness is absolutely critical to navigators. You need to be aware of your environment at all times, understand it and then act correctly.
2 All available means
Use all available means, all your senses (eyes, ears, touch, nose etc…) and all available tools (Radar, AIS, GNSS, radio, etc…)
3 Always question
Always seek to test your understanding of the environment by cross checking. Try never to trust just one sense or tool.
4 Share with others
Share your observations and interpretations with others in your team, never assume that they have seen something as well, or that your interpretation is the best.
5 Overburdening
It is easy to become distracted and lose situational awareness on the bridge of a ship. Know how to spot it in yourself and others and have a plan to deal with it.
6 Under burdening
It is possible to lose situational awareness when things become quiet. Find ways to keep yourself focused and alert. Unforeseen events at sea can be devastating!
7 Fake news
Not all information is correct. Chart data can be inaccurate, AIS data can be wrong and, in this cyber age, misinformation can be given.
8 Be aware on board
Situational awareness is just as important off the bridge. A good mariner is always alert to unexpected smells, vibrations, noises, and ship movements. Learn to trust your sixth sense and don’t ignore the sense that something just isn't right.
9 Learn from others
Poor situational awareness is often cited in accident investigation reports. Learn from these reports, whether they are from The Nautical Institute in MARS, other industry schemes such as Maritime CHIRP, or national reports such as the UK MAIB, US NTSB or Australia’s ATSB.
10 Mentoring
Situational awareness can be continually improved and taught to others. Work with your team to improve your skills. Experience is key to making sense of your environment and making good decisions.
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