Designated Person Ashore (DPA) for a Shipping Company.
As a designated person ashore for a shipping company, I am tasked with many roles, which include identifying and solving problems in the company which affect the effective delivery of services. There are several human factor problems in the maritime environment that I have identified for the firm to deal with using certain interventions. Pollution is the main human factor problem that faces my company. I am tasked with the effective implementation of the company’s safety management system and thus I am required to be based ashore for developing and implementing safety culture within the company. It is also my mandate to verify and monitor all safety and pollution prevention activities in the operation of each ship. I am able to achieve all this by influencing the mind-set, attitudes, and behavior of subordinate shore staff so as to enhance support of vessel operations; as well as acting as a key link in the safety management chain directly to the highest-level management of the company. Humans have created urbanization, sophisticated technology, industries, and extraordinary markets, which have had both positive and negative effects to the surroundings. Humans are working toward a common goal of making profits because of the desire for money, which makes people to sacrifice the environment to reduce costs. We have government regulations to protect the environment yet many people choose to ignore these laws and pursue their options in disregard of the laws thus polluting the surroundings. Many firms release chemicals that have some negative effects to the environment and the company that I am currently working for is with no exception. My company must manage the problem of chemical pollution that has hindered effective service delivery for many years. A facility that coverts harmful chemicals into other products which can be safely disposed should be constructed in the ship as a human remedy to this problem. This paper looks at chemical pollution as a problem that is facing my company, how the problem hinders effectively service delivery and the interventions that can be used to address the problem.
The increasing rate of Chemical pollution in my company is a threat both the environment and efficient service delivery. This problem has affected the affected the effective delivery of services of the company that I am currently employed as a designated person ashore. Ships that are owned by the company have been adversely affected by the problem because of its hazardous effects. This problem has not only affected my company but also the surrounding environment in which most of the activities in my company are executed. The chemicals have also affected people who inhabit the area in which the company is located as it is evidenced by their health conditions. “The effects of chemical pollution on marine organisms are frequently difficult to untangle from effects of other pollution and may be due to combined actions of oil chemicals and these other pollutant stressors” (Farrington 13).
The tanks of the vessels that are used in my company are filled with different chemicals, which are broken down to hazardous materials during the process of combustion. These hazardous materials are released into the environment and have some disastrous effects to the surroundings. Environmental concerns with the fate and effects of oil hydrocarbons released from exploration, development, and production from offshore oil and gas operations have been present since the beginning of such of the activities of the company many years ago. The concerns with oil chemicals have to do with oil based drilling mud, trace metals and barite in drilling mud’s, and also with discharge of oil chemicals-containing waters coproduced with the oil and gas during production and in some instances discharged offshore without any treatment. Service delivery in the shipping company in which I have been appointed to work for involves a lot of stages with the production of some adverse chemicals in each stage. Most of the chemicals, which come as a by-product of the production process, are released into water sources and thus affect the living organisms that inhabit the areas. My company is yet to conform to international standards as it pertains to the chemical composition of the sources of energy that are used in the production process.
Most of the chemicals that are used in the ship not only pollute the surroundings of the company but also the ocean because it is the main route that is used by our ships for effective service delivery. The issue of ocean pollution in our firm is so crucial and needs to be addressed as soon as possible before the problem becomes uncontrollable. We depend on the ocean for so much in our life, without it we would surely become extinct. The firm has used many interventions to address the problem but the desired outcomes have not come to fruition. Man-made pollutants that are released by the vessels of our company to the surroundings find their way into the ocean and collect at the ocean’s depths.
The chemicals that are released to the surrounding by my company not only pollute water sources but also greatly deplete of the ozone layer which is crucial for the survival of human beings. Ozone layers plays a vital role in the protection of human beings against some rays of the suns which are detrimental for the well being of all living things on the surface of the earth. In recent years, scientists have sounded alarms internationally about the depletion of the ozone layer, citing chemical pollution as the major cause and warned that if it is not checked then it will have destroys effects in the near future. Ozone layer depletion is an increase in the air at ground level because of the increasing rate of the release of some chemicals into the atmosphere by a number of firms in the contemporary society (Hobson 526).
The problem of chemical pollution is a threat to the well being of the company because of its negative effects, for instance, the company is likely to spend a lot of resources in trying to mitigate the effects of the problem. Effective measures to ensure that the chemicals that are used in the ships are converted into other non poisonous compounds that do not pose a threat to the environment have not been put in place. The chemicals that are released as the end product of the combustion of the engines of the vessels are hazardous. The profits of the firm have been affected by the problem and the firm is unable to achieve some of its objectives, for instance, providing the best services to its customers. The company has been unable o realize some of its goals in the past few years due to the existence of the problem which has affected the effective delivery of services because it has interfered with the process of production. This has resulted in loses which could be prevented if effective measures are put in place to prevent the problem from reoccurring. If the problem is not checked by putting in place effective measures to address it, the company may fail to realize some of its goals and achieve some of its objectives. Chemical pollution from large vessels has jeopardized the effective delivery of services which has in turn led to large financial loses. Productivity of the shipping company can only be increased if effective measures are put in place to stop chemical pollution. The company has used a lot of money and resources in the recent past in trying to mitigate the effects of the problem but this has not achieved much. The comfort of customers and other stakeholders in the company can only be guaranteed if the root causes of chemical pollution are addressed. The resources that are used in mitigating the effects of chemical pollution can be used in other activities of the company so as to generate more profits. Chemical pollution in the company has threatened the safety of both customers and other stakeholders due to the dangers that it poses to the health of human beings and other living things.
Human Physiology and Anthropometry
Human beings and other living things in the environment cannot withstand some extreme conditions that are caused artificially, for instance, chemical pollution. The body functions in such a way that it allows some substances into the blood stream whereas it prevents. The body has the ability to break some poisonous substances which are ingested into the body into forms which are not poisonous or corrosive to the well being of the person. However, extreme exposure to some poisonous substances can have adverse effects on the human body because the body is only able to fight foreign elements to some level. “Some of the cause of pollution in the marine environment includes oil and gas platforms, aquaculture facilities, and cargo ships that lose containers to the sea” (Tibbetts 91). Marine chemical pollution in my company has remained a difficult problem to solve because it represents a “fundamental market failure” on a worldwide scale. This problem is not a preserve for the company that I have been employed to work for but it affects many companies across the globe.
The chemicals that are produced by the vessels of my shipping firm have had adverse effects on the residents of the area in which the firm is located who have on some occasions challenged our company in court. The company has incurred a lot of money in trying to comply with standards that have been set by various regulatory bodies. The firm has sometimes been slapped with fines because of the threat that it posses to human lives. Some individuals and organizations have moved to court to challenge the firm and this has even made the company to make loses due to the money that has been used in court proceedings. The company that I have been chosen as a designated person ashore has always taken reactionary steps to mitigate the effects of the problem rather than proactive measures which needs to address the root causes of the problem.
Information Processing and Cognition
Information processing in human beings can only be done in an effective way if the human body is also functioning effectively. Chemical pollution that is caused by my company has affected the cognition and effective information processing of the residents of the area in which the firm is located. The effects of these chemicals adversely affect the cognition of the workers in my company thus affecting their productivity and a decrease in the productivity of the employees of the firm has led to the decrease in the profits that are realized by the company. Chemical pollution is an occupational stressor to the workers, management and other stakeholders in my firm.
Occupational stressors
There are some factors in the workplace that affect the productivity of workers thus affecting delivery of services and the process of production. Occupational stressors are with no exception of the factors that can affect the productivity of employees in the workplace. The employees of the company that I have been chosen as a designated person ashore have been affected in a negative way by the problem of chemical pollution. The chemicals that are produced by the vessels in my company pollute the environment thus making it hard for workers to effectively carry out their duties. Pollution at the workplace is an occupational stressor that has reduced the productivity of the employees of my company. Some employees in the company are adversely affected by the chemicals, which are released in the atmosphere and thus are unable to work efficiently. Effective delivery of services requires and conducive environment that promotes good health in workers. The health of the workers is essential in the production process for the reason that they act as a resource in the efficient delivery of services. The chemicals that are released to the surroundings by the firm have negatively affected the health of some of the workers and thus lowering their level of productivity.
Leadership and culture
Change leaders have the difficult task of promoting change when employees are seeking a sense of stability. Change needs to be effected in the company so as to find a lasting solution to the problem. Change may be resisted by some conservatives and opposed by some retrogressive forces but it must be affected for the well being of the company. I may not be able to bring about rapid change but I will create an environment which will facilitate change. I will employ an adaptive style of leadership whereby I will challenge people, taking them out of their comfort zones, letting people feel external pressure and exposing conflict. I will concentrate on scanning the environment, and drawing people’s attention to areas that the organization needs to address, such as culture changes, or changes in core processes. This does not mean that I will solve problems for people, but I will give work back to them.
Human error
The chemical pollution that is faced by my company is as a result of human error and has adverse effects on the productivity of the firm. It is not the intention of my company to pollute the environment but it is as a result of unavoidable circumstances. Oil spills from my company as a result of human error also has some negative effects on the living organisms in the ocean. Oil entering wetlands on the shoreline such as marshes and mangroves is of particular concern and can have a long-term fate of several years, and in some cases decades for the most heavily oiled areas. Oil spills that come ashore in coastal areas can make a mess of beaches, coat ships and boats in harbors and marinas, foul fishing nets and in situ Mari-culture facilities, and threaten intake pipes for desalinization plants in some areas of the world and water intake pipes for fish hatcheries and onshore Mari-culture facilities (Farrington 23).
The principles of risk assessment and risk management
Risks and uncertainties have become major issues which impact the productivity of many firms in the past few years because of their effects on the process of production. Many firms in the contemporary society are raising awareness to minimize the effects risk problems by coming up with strategies which play a crucial role in mitigating almost all categories of risks. The objective of risk management is to enhance a company’s performance by increasing the profits and minimizing expenses. When trying to create a positive risk management culture as a manager it is important to make sure that all employees of the firm realize the importance of managing risk. There are many factors that I will consider in tackling the problem of chemical pollution so as to mitigate its risks. First, I will ensure that all unforeseen events have been addressed and all employees are self- assured of their safety when dealing with service delivery projects; I will also reassure employees that their individual safety is always a priority when I will be tackling the problem.
Some people who reside near the place where my company is located are at a higher risk of being affected by the chemicals that are released by my company to the surroundings. These people include children, who normally spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer months when ozone is highest; active adults who exercise or work vigorously outdoors; people with asthma or other respiratory problems; and people who, for reasons as yet unknown to medical science, are simply more susceptible to ozone’s effects. As an employee that has been employed by the company to help in addressing the problem, I will recommend various interventions that can be used to find a lasting solution.
Interventions that can be used to address the problem
There are many interventions, which can be used by the firm to address the problem of chemical pollution. First, the company should concentrate on proactive measures rather than reactive measures, which have been used in the recent past. The company should come up with a facility, which converts the chemical compounds that are released into the surrounding to non poisonous elements. Some resources will be needed in addressing the problem but this will be a lasting solution to the problem. The chemicals can be reused in the company and thus helping to control their release into the surroundings. This will form a cycle which will have no injurious effects to the surroundings and the inhabitants of the area in which the company is located. Secondly, I recommend the materials that are used to make the tankers of the vessels that are used in my company should be reinforced so as to avoid oil spills that have been a problem to my company for many years. Many resources have been used in trying to clear the mess as a result of oil spills, which have been witnessed in the firm in the past few years. This is because the firm has always embraced reactionary steps after oil spills have occurred and have already polluted the environment. Reinforcing the tanks will be proactive steps though it will be expensive. This will help to step further oil spills in the near future because it will have addressed the root cause of the problem. Third, I recommend that the compounds that are used in the chemicals that are used by the vessels should be leased with anti-corrosive compounds so as to mitigate the effects this chemicals will have in the surroundings.
Challenges
There are several challenges that will be faced in the implementation of programs that may be geared towards addressing the problem of chemical pollution. First, most of the proactive programs, which are required to address the problem, are very expensive because of the resources that are needed to fully implement the programs. Financial constraints may be experienced when implementing most of the programs because some of the things that are required are very expensive. This may cause a dilemma in which almost all the profits that will be realized ate a given period of time will be ploughed back into the business to help in finding a lasting solution to the problem.
Second, another challenge that is likely to be encountered in the implementation of programs that are geared towards addressing the problem is time. A lot of time will be needed in the formulation of the programs and their subsequent implementation and thus some stakeholders in the company may feel that the time can be used in other profitable activities thus creating a dilemma. This may pose a challenge to the successful implementation of the programs because of the conflicts of interests that may arise among various stakeholders.
The problem can be addressed by using various human strategies which do not produce harmful chemicals which can negatively affect the inhabitants of the area in which the ship operates. The people who move around with the ship should ensure that avenues are not created where chemicals can be released in water and affect its inhabitants. The ship should be fitted with facilities that will be able to convert harmful chemicals to other by products which can be re-used and easily disposed when the ships arrives at one of its destinations.
Conclusion
Chemicals that are released by the vessels that are used by my company in both production process and service delivery pose adverse effects to the surroundings. The company has used various programs to try and mitigate the effects of the problem but the problem still persists because the strategies that have been used have failed to address the root cause of the problem. This is because the company has designed reactionary strategies to deal with the problem. I recommend the use of proactive strategies though they will be expensive but a lasting solution will be gotten. The implementation of the program will consume a lot of resources of the company but this course of action will have to be followed so as to come up with a lasting solution. If the problem is addressed by proactive strategies, then the resources that are used in mitigating the effects of the problem can be ploughed back into the company to help in the generation of more profits. As a designated person ashore for the shipping company, I will ensure that a proactive course of action is pursued so as a permanent solution is gotten.
Works cited
Farrington, John W. “Oil Pollution in the Marine Environment III: Fates and Effects of Chronic Oil Inputs.” Environment 56.5 (2014): 12-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 May 2016.
Farrington, John W. “Oil Pollution in the Marine Environment II: Fates and Effects of Oil Spills.” Environment 56.4 (2014): 16-31. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 May 2016.
Hobson, Art. “Global Warming: Lessons from Ozone Depletion.” Physics Teacher 48.8 (2010): 525-527. Teacher Reference Center. Web. 12 May 2016.
Tibbetts, John H. “Managing Marine Plastic Pollution.” Environmental Health Perspectives 123.4 (2015): A90-A93. GreenFILE. Web. 12 May 2016.