Risk perception in the Norwegian shipping industry and identification of influencing factors

In the recent years, safety culture in relation to shipboard safety and organizational factors has received increasing interest within the shipping industry. This study examines this relationship, where risk perception is an indicator for shipboard safety. Data was derived from a survey carried out in 2006, where 1262 questionnaires were collected from 76 vessels. Explorative factor analyses were used to extract factors of safety culture. Analysis of variance was used to assess the associations between the safety cultural factors and demographic and organizational variables. Finally, linear regression analysis was carried out to assess the association between risk perception and safety culture, controlling for the influence of demographic and organizational variables; age, department, vessel type and nature of work. The results suggest that safety-oriented shipboard management style, performance of proactive working practices and good reporting practices all contribute to a better perception of shipboard safety, while a high demand for efficiency contributes to a more negative perception of the safety level. Further, safety is perceived as better when work is performed as a team. To gain a better understanding of risk perception and safety at sea, it would be helpful to further examine the characteristics and influences of teamwork.