Working conditions in the engine department - A qualitative study among engine room personnel on board Swedish merchant ships

• The specific problems associated with the work on board within the merchant fleet are well known andhave over the years been a topic of discussion. The work conditions in the engine room (ER) aredemanding due to, e.g. the thermal climate, noise and awkward working postures. The work in theengine control room (ECR) has over recent years undergone major changes, mainly due to the introductionof computers on board. In order to capture the impact these changes had implied, and also toinvestigate how the work situation has developed, a total of 20 engine officers and engine ratings wereinterviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and Grounded Theory was used for the data analysis.The aim of the present study was to describe how the engine crew perceive their work situation andworking environment on board. Further, the aim was to identify areas for improvements which theengine crew consider especially important for a safe and effective work environment. The result of thestudy shows that the design of the ECR and ER is crucial for how different tasks are performed. Designwhich does not support operational procedures and how tasks are performed risk inducing inappropriatebehaviour as the crew members’ are compelled to find alternative ways to perform their tasks in order toget the job done. These types of behaviour can induce an increased risk of exposure to hazardoussubstances and the engine crew members becoming injured.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Engine Room

Grounded Theory

Ratings

Work Place Design

Engine control room

Engine Officers

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