Editorial (28)
In many respects, the surveyor/ inspector is the epitome of what the human element is all about, because he/she is one of the few whose role it is to interact directly with other humans, primarily the seafarers. The surveyor therefore needs to possess many human element attributes plus the knowledge and skills to do the job.
That is not to say that every surveyor and inspector needs to be a human element expert, but they must at least have an understanding of its relevance in the design, build and operation of a ship and its systems – to what extent depends on the specific role of an individual surveyor or inspector.
The required knowledge, skills and attributes of a surveyor/inspector are many and varied. Not only do they need to have the necessary professional qualifications but also they must be able to relate to those with whom they will come into contact, both ashore and afloat, in the course of their work.
To this end, they must have a good knowledge of ‘the ways of the sea’ - ideally, they should have held a senior position at sea so that they can use their technical skills to exercise professional judgement. They must be current not only in their knowledge of the regulations but also in understanding the latest technology and how it is applied onboard ship. They must also be able demonstrate good leadership and the ability to communicate effectively to those whose first language may not be the same as theirs. And, they must be capable of producing concise written reports, with clarity of thought, and which are understandable even to those whose first language may be different to that in which the report is written.
The IMO’s Code of Good Practice for Port State Control Officers (PCSOs) encompasses three fundamental principles against which all actions of PSCOs are judged: integrity, professionalism and transparency.
These are the principles that should be adopted by any person who is engaged in the business of surveying or inspecting ships and their systems which of course, includes the people who operate them. These principles are the hallmarks of a good surveyor/inspector and should bring with them the need to understand how humans interact with other humans, machines and systems.