NAB3040 Maritime Health, Safety and Environment

Contents and structure

This course provides students with an introduction to various aspects of health, safety, and environment (HSE) on board ships and within shipping companies. The course emphasizes how HSE functions as an organizational tool for the safe operation of vessels.

Key topics covered in this course include:

• Safety and Emergency Management: Students will understand the principles and practices of safety management and emergency preparedness in maritime environments. They will gain insight into the organizational frameworks that influence safety work on board ships and within shipping companies, including statutory requirements for shipping companies' safety management systems. The teaching covers key theories and models of organizational safety, based on the Regulations on Safety Management Systems for Norwegian Ships and Mobile Offshore Units.
• Working Environment: Students will acquire knowledge about the necessary conditions for ensuring a fully adequate working environment on board ships. This includes both physical and psychological health, based on the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's working environment model. The course covers chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial, and organizational factors, as well as the assessment of the working environment in accordance with the Regulations on Working Environment, Safety, and Health for Persons Working on Board Ships (ASH Regulations).
• Risk Assessment: Students will be introduced to methods for evaluating and managing various risks in maritime operations. This includes identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards to improve safety and minimize risk.

By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory requirements and organizational frameworks that support health, safety, and environment (HSE) in the maritime industry. They will be able to assess and improve HSE conditions to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

Students:

• Have broad knowledge of key topics, theories, issues, processes, tools, and methods within the field.
• Understand factors in the working environment and their consequences for employees' health, well-being, and welfare when exposed to adverse physical and psychological stressors.
• Know what characterizes a health-promoting workplace.
• Have knowledge of various risk analysis methods.
• Are familiar with the ASH Regulations and the Regulations on Safety Management Systems for Norwegian Ships and Mobile Offshore Units, including their requirements and how they should be maintained.
• Have knowledge of theories and conceptual models related to organizational safety and safety and emergency management.
• Are familiar with research and development within the field of HSE.
• Understand the history, traditions, distinctive features, and societal role of the discipline.
• Have knowledge of maritime English related to the working environment and safety.
• Can update their knowledge of safety management processes and HSE work.

Skills:

Students:

• Can conduct a workplace assessment and apply the requirements of laws and regulations as well as various theories, processes, and methods to evaluate factors in the working environment.
• Can plan and carry out a risk analysis, assess risks, and implement appropriate measures.
• Can use tools and methods to systematically work with HSE management.
• Can apply professional knowledge and relevant research and development results to practical issues related to the working environment and safety on board and within shipping companies.
• Can find, assess, and reference information and academic material and present it in a way that highlights a specific issue.
• Can reflect on their own professional practice in an HSE perspective and adjust their approach under supervision.

General Competence:

Students:

• Have insight into relevant professional and ethical issues related to HSE work.
• Can plan and carry out diverse tasks and projects that extend over time, both independently and as part of a group, in accordance with ethical standards and guidelines.
• Can communicate key subject matter, including theories, issues, and solutions, both in writing, orally, and through other relevant forms of expression.
• Can exchange views and experiences with others within the field and contribute to the development of good practices.
• Are familiar with innovation and development processes.
• Can plan and carry out work operations where HSE considerations have been assessed and contribute to the development of good HSE practices within shipping companies.

Entry requirements

None.

Recommended previous knowledge

None.

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminar days, group work, flipped classroom.

Compulsory learning activities

1. Mandatory participation in seminar days, as determined by the course coordinator at the start of the semester.
2. Additional assignments or activities, as determined by the course coordinator at the start of the semester, to ensure the best possible alignment of teaching and maximize student learning outcomes.

Assessment

Written school exam, 5 hours.

The exam can be conducted digitally.

Grading scale: A-F.

Examination support material

Approved calculators: Casio fx-991EX and Casio fx-991CW. A basic calculator is also allowed (see: Examination support material).

More about examination support material