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  • Marine Safety Australia

    Best in the West

Safety Analysts for Commercial Boating Operations in Western Australia

Workshops

We offer a comprehensive range of workshops to suit most vessels and can tailor workshops to individual vessels if requested. You’ll learn everything you need to know to implement a Safety Management System.

Risk Assessment

For larger vessels or complex shipping operations we can create a risk matrix for you. Contact us for more information.

Implementation

If you’re not confident to implement your own Safety Management System or you just need some guidance, we’re here to help. Contact us form more information.

New AMSA Safety Legislation

On 1 July 2016, following concerns about the poor safety culture within the maritime industry, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the government body responsible for maritime safety in Australian waters, introduced legislation mandating that all Australian registered commercial vessels are to have an active Safety Management System in place for individual vessels.

Compliance of the new legislation is mandatory and AMSA have already started compliance checking.  Failure to comply with the new safety legislation may attract an on-the-spot fine or, in some cases, an immediate suspension of license.

What is a safety management system?

A fully complaint Safety Management System (SMS) requires that each vessel has an established set of operating procedures and documentation for the safe operation of the vessel. Additionally, vessel masters must be able to demonstrate that the:

  • Vessel is safe to operate;
  • Vessel has been properly maintained
  • Crew is trained and proficient  to be able to carry out their jobs safely;
  • All crew members are familiar with the vessels’ emergency procedures and know their duty in case of emergency;

Implementing a safety management system is not a copy-and-paste, tick box exercise; AMSA requires every commercial vessel is to have its own, annually updated, active safety management system. That’s where we help.

Marine Safety Australia will work with you to implement a comprehensive Safety Management System

Workshops

Package 1: Standard Package
A face-to-face workshop that typically runs for 2-3 hours and will guide you in:

  • understanding the reasons and need for having a safety management system
  • understanding risk management, identifying and ranking hazards unique to your vessel
  • developing your risk register and risk matrix
  • understanding vital controls and mitigation actions
  • assigning actions – develop action tracking scenarios; action parties for all events
  • developing your safety case
  • At the conclusion, you will be provided with a sample safety management system template and given guidance in how to complete it.

Package 2: Comprehensive package

A face-to-face session that typically takes 3-6 hours and covers everything in Package 1 in significantly greater depth. During the workshop, we will develop your risk register and risk matrix, as well as examining and documenting the procedures for standard operation and emergencies on your vessel. We will take the notes from your workshop and write up the safety case for you to work through and implement.

Package 3: Group Workshop

Package 3 is run as a group workshop typically around 3-4 hours and involves 2-3 persons per vessel.
We will take participants through all the components listed in Package 1, providing them with the knowledge and tools to develop and understand their own safety management system, safety case, and safety plan. At the conclusion of the workshop, each participant and vessel will be provided with a sample template and guidance in how to complete it.

Key Personnel

Brendon Butcher
Managing Director

    Spanning well over 40 years, Brendon has had a colourful career in the Oil and Gas industry. He has worked as a geologist for Hudbay Oil & Gas, Getty Oil, and Conoco, and in senior management positions at Woodside and Shell. While working at Shell, Brendon worked as the head of major projects team where he pioneered new safety communication, project progress reporting, and risk management standards that are still being used in the Oil and Gas industry some 15 years later.
    After leaving Shell in 2009, Brendon established the communications and safety consultancy HardHat Media & Communications, and since then he and his team have produced numerous safety programs and videos, marketing materials and written communications for companies in Australia, West and North Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Brian Chase
Manager of Marine Safety

Brian started his career in the Navy in 1972 as an electronics technician and has had an illustrious career with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), quickly rising through the ranks as an engineering officer and attained the rank of Commander. Prior to his retirement in 2015, Brian held the position of the Executive Officer of HMAS Stirling, the RAN’s largest shore establishment. He spent almost his entire career serving in various classes of warships; the Project Management of large and complex acquisition and upgrades; and managing all aspects of safety.

Brian brings some 40+ years of experience in the identification and management of risks and all things related to maritime safety.

Contact Us

Interested in developing a Safety Management System or want to know more? Send us a message using the boxes below, and we’ll be in touch within 1 business day.

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