Data recording for better safety

PSS has completed a pilot data project to understand if AI can provide what it defines as “better root cause analysis” of port information to obtain better insight into safety risks.

PSS highlighted that more than 33,000 records were uploaded as part of this pilot project, which included almost 10,000 incident reports and 1000 near miss reports – the remaining records were classified as observations.

However, one of the main findings of the pilot programme was that in a high number of cases, the incident report contained only very brief information and a limited amount of useful data.

Debbie Cavaldoro, CEO, PSS, elaborates: “PSS has been promoting the recording of incident and near miss data for many years. But without the context of how that data can be used, it is difficult to fully understand what data should be recorded. If more detailed records are kept, including basic notes taken at the time of the incident, then ability of AI to identify root causes for near misses and observations, will allow the port sector to learn lessons much more effectively and address the root causes most likely to be the cause of incidents in the future.”

PSS has confirmed it is intending to take the results of this initial project forward by encouraging more ports to take part, and crucially, to retain more of the data that arises from observations, near misses and incidents, so that the true value of computer learning, data analysis, and artificial intelligence can be realised.

PSS is the UK’s professional safety and skills membership organisation for ports and has been collecting statistics on incidents and near misses in UK ports for more than ten years. Working with PSS member Comet; data, including first responder’s reports, investigations, and safety observations was collected from five ports, Bristol Port Company, Forth Ports, Peel Ports, Hutchison Ports and the Port of Blyth.