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The focus of this paper is on the role of the United Nation’s Agency for the maritime affairs, i.e. the International Maritime Organisation, in the setting of quality and safety standards in shipping and the difficulties in establishing and implementing them. Being the only international rule‐maker, the sole setter of maritime safety standards that apply universally, the IMO exhibits increased interest with respect to its approach to safety and the promotion of quality in the shipping sector. The present paper examines the steps taken in the 1990s by the IMO for enhanced quality and safety standards and undertakes a critical review of the most important hindrances in their establishment and implementation. The investigation reveals the various safety issues that have been treated by IMO as high agenda items in recent years as well as a number of limitations for the IMO and problems with regard to the implementation process.

The paper provides a Canadian perspective on the use of psychotropic medication in the management of problem behaviours in adults with intellectual disabilities in Canada. Psychotropic medication and intellectual disabilities were explored in the context of Canadian health and social services, clinical practices, medical training and factors that have shaped these over the past few decades. Informal physician intellectual disabilities networks and the newly formed Canadian Network of the National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis provided the opportunity to survey the use of psychotropic medication for problem behaviours across the country. Geographic, political, cultural and other influences on the development of health and social services are described, as well as training requirements for physicians. Survey responses were received from all provinces and represented clinicians in mental health multidisciplinary teams, health and social services ministry representatives, agency staff (up to executive director level) and family members of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Psychiatry and family medicine perspectives of the authors from working in Canada and the UK with people with intellectual disabilities presenting with problem behaviours are described. In Canada there are no national, provincial or territorial policies or guidelines on use of psychotropic medication for the management of such behaviours. There are no requirements for physicians prescribing these medications to have training in the care of people with intellectual disabilities. Services for people with intellectual disabilities and behaviour problems in Canada appear to be more crisis‐reactive than those in the UK.

The focus of this paper is the UN’s agency for the maritime affairs, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and more precisely its approach to maritime safety. Being the only international rule‐maker, the sole setter of maritime safety standards that apply universally, the IMO exhibits increased interest especially with regard to its organisational culture, the safety culture that constitutes its core mission. An examination of the evolution of IMO’s safety culture is in essence an examination of the international approach to disaster prevention and risk management in shipping and it is in fact the subject of our present study. Our investigation will reveal the various safety issues that have been treated by IMO as high agenda items in recent years, as well as the factors that can be regarded as instrumental in cultural change and, thus, in the evolution of IMO’s safety philosophy.