The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will convene an ad hoc committee to prepare an assessment that will inform public policies concerning the possession and consumption of alcohol by crew members and other personnel aboard commercial vessels of the United States. The assessment will consider the personal security, welfare, and safety interests of all individuals aboard the vessel as well as the use of other intoxicants in conjunction with alcohol. As part of the assessment, the committee will also consider:
• Operational and workplace factors that may contribute to the misuse of alcohol by crewmembers and other onboard personnel in different segments (types of service/vessels) of the maritime industry;
• The contributing role of alcohol and other intoxicants to abusive and dangerous behaviors in the maritime workplace;
• Effectiveness of federal regulations and vessel operator policies to detect and deter misuse of alcohol by crew members and other personnel, both on-duty and off duty;
• The state of the science on best practices for regulating workplace alcohol use, intoxication, and the prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment and other dangerous and abusive behaviors. This includes practices for education, training, reporting, and accountability, as well as the development and implementation of a culture of safety.
• The extent to which federal regulations and vessel operator policies, as implemented, conform to identified best practices.
As appropriate, the committee will make recommendations for changes in federal regulations and other policies that govern alcohol possession and consumption by personnel aboard U.S. commercial vessels and that support best practices to ensure a safe and secure workplace free of alcohol misuse.