In the survey «Maritime safety», which was conducted in 2023, as many as 27 percent stated that they had been bullied and/or harassed in the last 12 months. A change is needed, and the entire maritime industry must work together against bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment.
What does psychosocial working environment mean?
It mainly has to do with security, inclusion, the way we talk to each other as colleagues and how we are doing at work. There are many factors affecting the psychosocial working environment, but the general working and living conditions on board are key.
Some find it challenging to start the work to prevent bullying and harassment. The NMA aims to facilitate and help companies and vessels that would like to work on this subject. It is always best to start early, before there are issues in the psychosocial working environment. It is much more difficult to fix a poor working environment than to prevent it.
Our request to the maritime industry:
- Set the topic on the agenda. Feel free to contact the Norwegian Maritime Authority for guidance and advice. Send an email to post@sdir.no, and mark the subject line with "Focus Area 2024."
- Implement the "Be a buddy – not a bully" campaign, which is an educational program aimed at preventing and handling bullying and harassment. The learning program, along with accompanying brochure materials and dialogue tools, was developed by Sea Health and Welfare in Denmark. You can read more about the program on our page about psychosocial working environment.
- We can provide a speaker and hold a seminar at a physical gathering for 2-4 hours, with a combination of theory and participant dialogue, tailored to the time available. During the seminar, we will also review additional materials that you can use in your own shipping company or vessel.
- We hold seminars for higher-level departments such as HR, crew offices, or others responsible for the working environment on board vessels.
- We also offer the seminar at larger crew conferences or other gatherings with bigger crews. The same applies to conferences organized by various seafarer organizations that seek competence development or wish to offer the seminar to their members on board vessels.
- We can provide a speaker and hold a seminar at a physical gathering for 2-4 hours, with a combination of theory and participant dialogue, tailored to the time available. During the seminar, we will also review additional materials that you can use in your own shipping company or vessel.
- Use the tools at www.arbeidsmiljoportalen to identify your own challenges and create actions in your own targeted action plans. Both tools are dynamic and can be used separately or together:
- Work Environment Assistance
- A Good Day at Work
Order educational resourses
Send a request and schedule a seminar with the project manager: sfl@sdir.no.
Here is an overview and more information about the material
Supervision of psychosocial work environment
Starting in 2024, we have added three checklist items in the mandatory inspections concerning the psychosocial work environment. Two of the items address legal requirements, while the third item provides guidance on how shipping companies and vessels can work to prevent and handle bullying and harassment.
We have created a campaign poster with information aimed at both the seafarers on board and the shipping company. Inspectors will leave the poster on board, but you can also download it here. We encourage you to print it out and post it in a readily accessible place on the vessel. This way, everyone will know how they can contribute to combating bullying and harassment on board.