Insights on just culture from seafarers and shipping companies in Indonesia: An exploratory study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Just culture aspires to prompt organizational learning from enhanced feedback by frontline operators. Just culture requires mechanisms to eliminate fear and sanction but not accountability when reporting safety-related issues. Adopted in sectors such as aviation, just culture remains an underdeveloped field in the maritime sector. OBJECTIVE: This study explores how some pre-requisites for a just culture (i.e., ease of reporting, motivation to report, and trust) are perceived and potentially implemented by seafarers’ and shipping company safety representatives in Indonesia. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data in an exploratory study involving eleven active seafarers and four safety managers from shipping companies in Indonesia. RESULTS: The conditions for ease of reporting seem present, at least on paper. Shipping companies receive one to two near-miss reports per month. However, incidents seem to be underreported. It appears that companies are unsuccessful in establishing the motivation and trust necessary to enhance safety event reporting. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that the concept of a just culture is not well understood among certain Indonesian shipping companies. The main barriers to implementing a just culture relate to hierarchical structures in the industry, frequent crew changes, blame culture, and lack of anonymous reporting for safety concerns.