A WEB page enabling workers to gain rapid access to essential information about their health and safety rights and responsibilities has been set up by the Health and Safety Executive.

The "workers’ webpage" http://www.hse.gov.uk/ workers
- covers the roles and responsibilities of employers and employees, as well as issues such as ‘whistle-blowing’ and reporting accidents.

The Logic of Simulators
 

Mandatory

Part A of the STCW Code is mandatory. Everybody knew this, even those who cannot understand, and those who refuse to understand. In the same section of the code, all mandatory competencies are spelled out including the different methods by which such competencies must be demonstrated.

In short, whether we understand it or not; or whether we personally like it or hate it, it is mandatory that all seafarers for certification under the STCW ‘95 must demonstrate their skills and competencies. 

The STCW ’95 spelled out the possible options for mandatory demonstration of competence as follows:

1. In-Service Training – according to Morrison, it is a structured on-board training and assessment duly approved by the Administration. For clarification, in-service is not sea service. In-service training and assessment is more easily understood as on-board training and assessment. It has to be structured and duly approved by the Administration. 

As of this date, there is no structured on-board training and assessment duly approved by an Administration, much so, the Philippines, who cannot claim a significant fleet of its own for the Filipino seafarers; or

2. Laboratory Equipment – there is no available laboratory equipment facilities in the Philippines to be able to serve this purpose; or

3.  Approved Simulator Training where appropriate – the Philippines boasts of many simulator installations all over, world-class and state-of-the-art. This option is the most economical and the most effective for the Philippines.

It could have been convenient if a declaration and certification by one Filipino expert who has the illusion that he speaks for and on behalf of the entire Filipino seafarers can be accepted by the world’s shipping community.

Illogical

NASA uses simulation in more ways than we can imagine but nobody is saying it is illogical. The airline industry requires every pilot to undergo simulation every six months regardless of flying hours; nobody is saying it is illogical. It is worth noting that the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) implemented a mandatory simulator assessment for all Singaporean Marine Officers every two years. It seemed illogical and despite the heavy traffic in Singapore, safety is realistically achieved.

In the Philippines, according to one who claims to be the “simulator expert”, it is illogical for the Filipino seafarers to undergo simulation. Do you ever wonder why the Philippines is dubbed as the maritime disaster capital of the world? 

Cannot Understand

Some people called the simulators as toy ships. The only difference from a boy and a man is the cost of their toys. Ironically, those who called the simulators “toy ships” are actually sending their people to the most expensive “toy ship” training in the Philippines. That is something we cannot understand.

Expert Opinion

Before a person can authoritatively give an opinion in a subject matter, he must be an expert in that subject matter. It is quite surprising that all over the world, the use of simulators is unquestionably the trend. There must be a reason and science to this. The best and the biggest companies in the Philippines are using simulators for their respective quality training and assessment. We presume that expert opinions in the Philippines are really coming from the expert educators and trainers who have undergone unquestionable education and training in the use of simulators.

Direct Connivance

According to one 4th Engineer who had never experienced taking a Licensure Exam and a Simulator Assessment, probably not even educated and trained in simulators, the matter of recognizing training centers as assessment centers is very clear direct connivance. The Commission on Higher Education has accredited 89 maritime schools, the Maritime Training Council accredited more than 40 maritime training centers, the Professional Regulation Commission recognized nine Simulator Centers as Assessment Centers, all that you call direct connivance?

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