Liferafts - the project

chanelyacht

chanelyacht

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So the challenge is to carry out some serious research into the subject. Raw data is available, for example from RNLI, MAB, Coastguards etc plus the manufacturers. The two questions are

What is the chance of a yacht needing to deploy a liferaft

How effective is a liferaft in fulfilling its designed role, ie keeping people alive

A statistical analysis over time and an account of individual cases would be great!


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OK then, as a company specialising in maritime human factors, if people think it's worth doing we'll take this on. We already have links with Warsash and Plymouth uni, so should be able to do something useful. We've done similar things in the past regarding fishing vessel lifejackets and personal location devices.

Dan - if IPC would like to come along with us, we'd be delighted, drop me a note if interested.

Do the panel think this is worth doing?

Simon
 
Yes Please, Yes Please, Yes Please, Yes Please, Yes Please, Yes Please, Yes Please, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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I thinks work on the effectiveness of liferafts in different areas eg costal, xchannel, longer passages would be very informative particularly in light of the number of reports there have been of inadequate/brocken/missing equipment and if the data is available comparison to other alternatives such as taking to a dingy.

The big problem I would see is trying to evaluate stratagies thet where not used for example we know know one survived on the Uzo but whould they have done if they had a hydrostatic release liferaft? Impossible to say, but you could do a comparisson to a similar event where one was fitted. Trouble is these events are so rare there probably isn't a directly comparable situation.

Aside from the technical info which would in effect be a metaanaylisis of relevant MAIB reports it would be very interesting to look at how yachtsmen assessed risk and responded to it. I carried out a 2yr research project looking at risk cultures and assesment in climbing clubs some time ago but foud almost no relevent research for the liturature study. As far as I am aware it is still the case that the only area in which there has been significant study done of risk perception by participants is in looking at risks in medical treatment which is interestion but rather to far off the subject.

Let us know if you get anything off the ground. Yachting world might be a more appropriate format for publication as theytend to do longer more in depth articals. I suspect the result would be to academic for yachting monthly or PBO but it would be good to see them have a go at it.
 
As someone who has had to do formal risk analysis I think the question should be rephrased.

1. What is the statistical risk of a situation arising that could be mitigated by the use of a liferaft. (You could use historical data from MIAB but note that you need to include all incidents where a liferaft would have helped even if not used and you need to include MOB situations)
2. You then need to look at the minimum cost of mitigating that risk (bearing in mind that a budget LR can now be bought for £450)
3. You will then be able to calculate the cost relative to advantage.

I believe that you will then end up with a result that says the risk is low (but not as low as some believe) but the cost per life saved will be able to be presented for the consumption of those who can decide for themselves what the value of life is to them.....
 
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