Safer Tomorrow thought leadership series: Umayya Rahman

This fourth article in our PSS Safer Tomorrow series, looks to the younger generation, and asks what they think will make ports safer in the future – and what they would like to see when they are the industry leaders.

Umayya Rahman is the Safety, Health & Environment Technician Apprentice at Port Skills and Safety and is just coming to the end of the first year of her apprenticeship. She has already won recognition for an article on risk assessments: portskillsandsafety.co.uk/blog-post-iosh-competition/ and is a finalist in the Maritime UK Rising Star catagory. Here Umayya discusses what she thinks the port sector will be like in years to come.

When I am in a leadership position within the sector, I want to see safety at the forefront of a port, valued in a way in which it is integrated into all practices and actions, in the same way things like cost-efficiency are.

I want to see technology and AI being utilised with as much versatility as possible, where ports are enriched with technology protecting workers from harsh conditions and reducing human error. This includes the use of AI for investigations of incidents, and immersive control rooms that allow a 360-degree vision of ports, enabling analysis of practices within the industry. A key cause of incidents within ports are slips, trips and falls, and I would want these control rooms to survey areas of potential risks to identify them and notifying employees to take extra care, suggesting how the area could be amended to reduce the risk. I would want AI technology to analyse the risks before an incident occurs, including unseeable risks. Additionally, I would like to see virtual control rooms to create immersive emergency drills that can really flesh out the most efficient and practical responses to emergency situations. They can also be used to pinpoint locations and improve communication within the port, increasing a proactive safety culture.

I want to see root cause investigation utilising AI being prioritised, with outcomes openly communicated within the workforce. I want this to not only explore the impacts of human error in incidents, but also other root causes, and to cultivate a collection of different instances where issues have occurred to produce controls for them.

Following from this, I want to utilise drones for surveying operations and identifying good practice, as this should also be celebrated within safety in ports as well. I believe that real-time monitoring of incidents should be made more prominent, rather than after an incident occurs, and drones should be used for this purpose. Above all, I would like to see more practice in dynamic risk assessments, and the minimising of human error.

In the future, I want to see technology used in an innovative way that makes the current challenges seem miniscule in scale. I would like to see more examples of data being analysed to highlight common causes, and the effects of incidents, the technology can be created and implemented which directly mitigate this.

In terms of PPE, I believe it can advanced to where it monitors and proactively protects wearers from harm. It could also be able to detect fatigue in the wearer, include communication devices that connect directly to plant and equipment, contact emergency services or supervisors in an emergency , and include motion sensors that detect oncoming vehicles. Maybe is could even treat minor injuries at the scene.

A prevalent cause of incidents and fatalities are confined spaces, in which hazardous fumigants pose high risk or conversely, a lack of oxygen. I want everyday PPE to be able to notify the wearer of oxygen levels and detect hazardous gases, perhaps sensors throughout the port could also detect this. I would like to see more examples of data being analysed to highlight common causes, and the effects of incidents, the technology can be created and implemented which directly mitigate this.

Whilst technology and AI are the key drivers of this future, people are the very much the foundation of safety. I want inclusivity to be normalised within ports, aiding in the promotion of psychological safety. I want there to be more open discussions of inclusivity, and an environment where diversity is very much imbued at the core.

I want the port to have more of an open approach to mental health, with regular surveys that can monitor levels of stress. Inclusivity also ties in with this, and I would introduce a forum that actively encourages people of all ethnic backgrounds and gender to be open about the challenges they face within the industry, so we can address them together.

PPE must cater better to women, young people, and expecting or new mothers, along with facilities provided for their use. Risk assessments should involve and cater to a diverse range of people, including vulnerable people like the elderly or those with learning difficulties. Reporting systems should be more inclusive as well, such as having language interpreting and communicating technology available, along with systems that are more user-friendly and offer guidance to those who may having reading or writing challenges.

Since chronic back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders are often a cause of absence, I would like to see supportive technology such as body suits or exoskeleton technology implemented which can detect posture and manual handling risks before they become a health issue. This could also help guide wearers to adopt carrying positions that optimise best results and safety. Body maps could also be made available that allow commonly risks to be identified and mitigated.

I think the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in ports is potentially another area of concern due to the risk of lithium-ion battery fires. I would like there to be a more collaboration between ports and local authorities in sharing resources and training courses to target this, and local authorities must be equipped with suitable equipment to deal with these fires.

I would like the port sector to have a more prominent position in legislation, with regulations and standards that are tailored to the sector.

I think the industry will have to become more proactive in sustainability and climate change. Ports should utilise a range of energy sources and collaborate globally in sharing energy data and resources. Climate change affects weather patterns which could increase the risk to employees and ports respectively. Therefore, PPE should cater better to the different seasons.

Finally, in the future I want there to be greater promotion of the industry. I want to encourage innovative people into this niche sector through better promotion of it to the younger generation. I would also talk widely about the diverse range of roles available for more experienced employees or those wanting to upskill and develop their competence through career development.