A Hierarchy of Controls

It's the key to passenger safety.

(Article originally published in Jan/Feb 2026 edition.)

PASSENGER SAFETY: A HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS
**By Pat Zeitler**

Those in the business of industrial safety are familiar with the concept, "hierarchy of controls."

It's predicated on the belief that health and safety risks are controlled through a hierarchy of actions that can best be described as an inverted cone or pyramid with the most effective control on top, narrowing down to the final and least effective control on the bottom. At the top of the pyramid is elimination, followed by substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Safety professionals who dedicate themselves to cruise ships and ferry boats must implement this system in a way that encompasses both the industrial component of crew and passenger safety as well as the hospitality side of business.

In theory, eliminating hazards is best (step #1). However, many hazards are permissible in this system when the probability, risk or exposure is extremely low. A good example is how the cruise industry reacted during the 2020 Covid outbreak. It simply eliminated the hazard by ceasing operations until the threat of Covid went away. Another example would be a cruise operator not allowing a vessel to get underway due to reports of severe weather.

Step #2 is substitution. This action might be applied to a cruise ship or ferry boat in the form of changing a route (due to any number of factors) or reducing emissions by shifting to alternative fuels or electric propulsion – a substitution intended to mitigate the environmental hazard more than the immediate risk of personal safety.

The remaining three steps – engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) – are tangible and easily recognizable by passengers and crew. This is where companies like Survitec, Consilium, Lalizas and Viking come into play.

ENGINEERING CONTROLS

Engineering controls, in the most simplistic terms, is a modification made or engineered in a way that physically separates the hazard from the person. The key factor is that the worker or passenger will not have to adapt their behavior to the known hazard.

For example, Consilium is a company that has been in the business of fire detection for marine purposes since 1967, long before the concept of a hierarchy of controls even existed. Safety technology is what Consilium is known for, and its newest innovation, SensEye, is a video monitor integrated into Consilium's SMiG automated safety management system and, with the assistance of AI, will notify the crew when abnormalities are detected.

The system monitors passengers and crew, and if a passenger enters a restricted area the system will notify the crew or if someone takes a fall the onboard emergency management system can be activated in real time.

When asked what safety trends Consilium expects to see in 2026 and beyond, Martin Steen, Consilium's Senior Vice President Americas, stated, "AI, AI, AI. We're investing heavily, same as all other leading tech companies. We'll use the AI engine to validate all our detection units such as smoke and heat detectors, flame detectors, gas detectors and – in combination with a HD smart camera – analyze the potential risk onboard. We will guide the crew in making the right decision to save life and values onboard."

Incorporating AI is taking fire detection and suppression to the next level. Detection alone is an administrative control. When combined with response capabilities like fire suppression, equipment shutdowns and emergency management system activations, it looks like the gold standard of an engineering control.

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS

Administrative controls include regulations, company policies, materials that include warning signs and markers and even worksite communication systems. Consilium's safety management software could be considered an administrative control.

The defining characteristic of an administrative control is that it changes a crewmember or passenger's actions in a way that avoids a hazard. Training might be considered the ultimate administrative control, and vessel operators who team with Survitec have a partnership that includes access to a variety of training courses like safety equipment maintenance, lifeboat operator academies and customer-specific courses available upon request.

Survitec is best known for its life rafts and marine survival technology. Tracking and servicing life rafts, immersion suits, lifejackets as well as lifesaving equipment such as davits and fire suppression systems are key administrative controls that Survitec provides for its customers.

"We've seen a strong post?COVID resurgence in cruise?vessel contracting with shipyards," states Richard McCormick, Communications Director-MES &AES. "It's been significant not only for cruise operators but also for the wider network of suppliers that support them. As a result, we've secured record-breaking sales."

The success of 2025 is due in no small part to the newbuild MES (marine evacuation systems) orderbook. Systems like the Life Ark, Martin Ark 2 and Survitec Zodiac Evacuation Slide are setting the standard for passenger safety.

Looking ahead, Survitec is working on advanced automation solutions designed for the small ferry market as well as introducing its newest MES product, the Survitec Seahaven, the world's largest inflatable lifeboat.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The last step on the hierarchy of controls is the most tangible and easily recognized one – personal protective equipment or PPE. It's the last line of defense against a hazard.

While items like gloves, safety glasses and hard hats immediately come to mind, PPE for passengers includes things like Survitec Marine Evacuation Systems, life rafts, immersion suits and all lifesaving equipment in general.

Lalizas is another leader in this space.

"At Lalizas, safety isn't simply about products – it's about people and outcomes," says Iasonas Lalizas, Marketing & Communications Director. "In 2026, we continue to build on our legacy by delivering rigorously tested, regulation-compliant lifesaving equipment, partnering with global operators to enhance onboard safety protocols and investing in education and innovation that protect passengers and crew alike. Our mission remains clear: to elevate safety standards across every voyage, from commercial fleets to recreational craft."

PPE for crew and passengers at sea is what Lalizas is all about.

Since the company's inception in 1982, the core product lines of Lalizas have been life rafts, inflatable and foam lifejackets, man overboard (MOB) systems, immersion suits and breathing devices. While staying true to its product roots, Lalizas introduced two new product lines in 2025 – a mini-version of the Lalizas Foam Folding Compact lifejacket, designed to save stowage space on board, and in-house production of pilot and embarkation ladders.

Beyond developing products, Lalizas acquired Ativa Náutica, Brazil's leading lifejacket manufacturer, a move that strengthened its global network in South America.

No survey of maritime PPE would be complete without mentioning Viking Life-Saving Equipment – the world's largest supplier of marine evacuation systems for cruise ships and passengers.

When aboard a ship, there exists inherent risks that cannot be removed or substituted – a fact that Tage Sørensen, who founded Viking Life-Saving Equipment back in 1960, knew very well. He began producing inflatable rubber life rafts for local Danish mariners.

Today, Viking is a synonym for safety at sea. Its product line of lifesaving PPE includes life rafts, immersion suits and firefighting equipment as well as lifeboats, evacuation systems and life jackets. Viking does more for passenger safety than just providing PPE. Its customers rely on Viking for engineering controls like boat davits and evacuation systems as well as administrative controls that include servicing agreements for life rafts and fire control systems.

Personal protective equipment like life jackets, immersion suits and life rafts are what most people initially think of when the conversation turns to passenger safety, and those items are a key component. However, safety at sea – especially as it relates to passengers – must be examined through a multilayered approach like the hierarchy of controls.

Pat Zeitler is Dive Superintendent at Orion Group in Houston.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.