The Human Element in Shipping

This article begins with the definitions of the “human element” in shipping and illustrates the wide range of complex concepts covered by this simple phrase. A table is produced as a suggested taxonomy of the main items covered by the term, and the article proceeds to give brief descriptions of these areas under the two main categories of safety and human resource, and deals with the safety topics of: accident causation and human error; and maritime ergonomics and safety culture. Human resource topics cover: health, well‐being, and working conditions; human resource management practices; and corporate social responsibility (CSR).