What is a key responsibility of the Safety Officer on a ship?

The key responsibility of the Safety Officer on a ship centers around overseeing the safety program. This includes developing, implementing, and maintaining safety policies and procedures that ensure the ship meets all regulatory and safety standards. The Safety Officer is tasked with identifying potential hazards, conducting safety assessments, and recommending corrective actions to enhance the safety culture aboard the vessel.

By positioning the safety program as a focal point of their duties, the Safety Officer plays a critical role in promoting awareness, compliance, and proactive measures to prevent accidents and incidents at sea. This comprehensive oversight is essential in fostering a safe working environment, which benefits all personnel on board.

While leading drills, training crew, and conducting performance reviews are important tasks that may be part of safety responsibilities, these are generally components of the broader safety program that the Safety Officer is responsible for managing and ensuring effectiveness in their execution.