Captain Sood - M/T SEAPOWET speaks out on crew safety training!
“The word ‘safety’ is uttered so many times in our work that it has begun to lose its importance”, said Captain Sood. “I feel it is my job on board that it does not do so and that the crew do not become complacent and indifferent to safety.”
Captain Sood shared his views on what is an effective safety training program and described it as a partnership between the providers of training materials and a ship’s senior personnel. The Seapowet crew uses the Seagull Computer Based Training and safety videos and Captain Sood finds these programs to be “very well researched training modules”. “The content is comprehensive without being unnecessarily complicated and overall these modules are really commendable and show a suitable commitment to the industry. Notwithstanding the recent economic slowdown, the industry is still short of trained seafarers and Seagull is doing a yeoman service to fulfill this demand. My company also recognizes this requirement and has invested a lot of trust and resources in Seagull to build up a pool of well trained and confident seafarers.”
Captain Sood emphasized that the human element is crucial to successfully improve safety training and competence management and he further says “The senior persons on board have to actively mentor and coach so that we can help the crew to derive maximum benefit”. On his approach to his crew, the captain told Seagull, “While I let you tackle the ‘how’ of safety … I try to appeal to [the crew’s] heart by educating them about the ‘why’ of safety. I try to motivate them by reminding them about their responsibilities towards their families.”
While the Captain recalls the days when “it was very rare to even have a calculator on board and training was imparted by our seniors with a simple remark ‘go, find out’,” he recognizes that safety training today is a marriage of technology and traditional values. He believes that, though today’s methods of training are by necessity highly technical, the fundamental goals of safety training remain unchanged.
“It is a developmental process. For me, training is to develop the judgment, character, common sense, communication skills, confidence, resilience, and ability to analyze risks in a young man. He should start thinking, observing and feeling. Only then will he become a leader, earn the respect of his colleagues, run the ship safely and fulfill his responsibilities towards his family, industry and the society.”
B+H was established in April 1988 and currently owns and operates IMO Type 2&3 Product / Chemical Carriers, Panamax Product Tankers, Combination Carriers and Bulk Carriers. The company is also building an FDV (Field Development Vessel) for delivery late 2009, which will work as an Accommodation / Work Unit in offshore oilfields.