Marine Safety Flash A14-04 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Broken ankle due to poorly rigged walkway

Incident Overview

A crew member fell off a temporary walkway, falling heavily onto his ankle, breaking it in two places.

Key Findings

Vessel was under the control and management of a repair yard

Vessels deck had been painted, a temporary walkway consisting of a plank had been erected across the painted area

The plank was resting on a torch at one end When the engineer stepped on the plank it

gave way beneath him causing him to fall over his ankle, breaking it in the process

Recommendations

All future business with the yard is suspended until full investigation and audit has been carried out

Exercise full caution when working in an environment not under your control Never rig or use temporary walkways that have been constructed from materials or

equipment that have not been designed for that particular use All dry docks and yards that are intended for use to be audited Always remember the company’s STOP WORK Authority, if you spot an unsafe

condition then STOP WORK, flag it and rectify it before you or someone else gets hurt

Marine Safety Flash A14-05 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Man-overboard

Incident Overview

A member has reported 13 actual MOB cases and 5 near MOB events with high potential. The chart on the right indicates two activities when colleagues have fallen over board, While boarding / alighting the

vessel While mooring / unmooring.

Key Findings

Use of non-standard means / unsafe practices to board the vessels.

Leaning in excess over-side of the vessel to pick-up the lines from water, especially in rough weather.

Recommendations

Establish and use an industry standard and safe means of access to vessel While working over-side, don all the mandatory PPE including inflatable life-vest and fall

protection. While working over side a PTW is mandatory, do not work alone. Keep the Master

informed and ensure the task is monitored at all times from the vessel. Secure your position on deck during line handling operations. Never overstretch to

reach to the lines, instead use the correct tool to pick-up the lines. If leaning over side, make sure the bulwark / stanchions are sturdy enough to support

your weight and are free from defects. Conduct regular Man Overboard and recovery drills, record deficiencies and

immediately rectify. Ensure life-vests / jackets are inspected as per plan. It is your first line of defence in the

water. Consider the use of Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) when working offshore / outside

harbour limits / in rough sea states or where Search & Rescue services are limited, particularly during hours of darkness.

8 4

1

5

1

Actual High Potential

Mooring / Unmooring

MOB Drill

Boarding / Alightingtug

Marine Safety Flash A14-06 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Hand injury when folding Aluminium ladder

Incident Overview

While folding a four part hinged folding ladder to place it back to its stowage position the IP got his hand squeezed at the hinge part. (See picture)

Key Findings

Task specific Risk Assessment not carried out; lack of familiarity with the equipment and its limitations

Safest way to fold the ladder was not used IPs hand was in the wrong position Ladder used was not fit for purpose on a

vessel

Recommendations

Be aware of pinch points when using folding / extendable equipment

Folding ladders should be turned on its side when folding to ensure that manual handling is safer

Do not hesitate to stop if more than one person is required to handle equipment (stop authority)

Marine Safety Flash A14-07 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Severe Hand injury – Rotating Machinery

Incident Overview

A newly installed generator was started without belt guards in place. The IP’s finger got caught by the V-belt which resulted in fracture and deep laceration to the index finger. The potential could have been loss of finger/hand.

Key Findings

Guards not in place. Lack of Risk Assessment, Permit to Work

and Tool-Box talk. Lack of lock-out tagging of machinery. Lack of management assessment and

involvement in non-routine job.

Recommendations

Risk Assessment, Permit to Work and Tool-Box talk are carried out

Tag out machinery without safety equipment in place Inspect and install safety guards before start up

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Marine Safety Flash A14-08 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Serious injury - Top of thumb amputated

Incident Overview

The V-belts of an air compressor were found to be slack after it was installed the previous day. The IP decided to tension/ reposition them again. While trying to check the tension of the V-belts, by manually rotating the assembly, the IP’s thumb got stuck between the V-belt and pulley wheel. This resulted in the top of his thumb being amputated.

Key Findings

The maker’s instructions were not followed when the V-belts were installed the previous day, including that one of four skid bolts was missing but ignored. Improper fastening of the compressor motor led to misalignment and slack V-belts.

The IP took a shortcut by cutting an opening in the safety guard to reach the belts, in spite of shore side manager’s instructions to remove the guard entirely to provide sufficient work access to the V-belt assembly.

A proper and safe work method was not followed, there was no Risk Assessment, Permit To Work and Tool-Box talk held prior to the non-routine works.

The rotating machinery was not properly isolated.

Recommendations

Instructions from managers must be adhered to, particularly when dealing with safety barriers

Risk Assessment, Permit to Work and Tool-Box talk are to be held for any non-routine job.

Rotating machinery has always to be isolated and tagged out during a job, particularly if the machine can auto-start

Maker’s instructions are to be followed and strictly adhered to.

Marine Safety Flash A14-09 (30th June) 

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Personal Flotation Device fails to automatically inflate

Incident Overview

On June 7, 2014 a worker fell approximately 4 metres from the lower landing of an offshore platform into the sea. He was retrieved from the water without delay by the crew on a supporting transfer vessel and transferred to the site clinic for medical treatment.

Key Findings

The worker was wearing a Type 1 Inflatable Personal Flotation Device (PFD). The PFD did not automatically inflate on contact with water despite being equipped with this capability. Inspection of the PFD after the incident identified that the gas canister was not fully screwed into the inflation tube fitting.

A separate recent event at a contractor-operated marine facility highlighted a similar case of a lifejacket not automatically inflating after a worker fell from a barge. It was identified that the gas canister was not fully tightened.

Recommendations

Recommendations for sites using similar inflatable lifejackets:

- Ensure routine inspections are conducted on equipment to confirm gas canisters are installed and ready for use in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

- Ensure crews that use inflatable lifejackets are trained and familiar with their use.

Photograph of PFD similar to item worn by worker.

Marine Safety Flash A14-10 (30th June)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Injured Party struck by tugger wire assembly

Incident Overview

Vessel was deploying 15 ton anchor for pre-lay operation. Deck personnel were using tugger lines with a chain sling around the anchor shackle to move the anchor along the deck.

During the operation, the tugger wire assembly parted and recoiled around cargo barrier. The injured party (IP) was struck on the head (from behind) on the right hand side just below the ear. The IP suffered a fractured skull, fractured jaw and laceration to neck.

IP was provided with medical treatment on board the vessel and transferred to hospital for surgery.

Key Findings

IP was positioned in port aft side next to the capstan in an area considered to be a 'safe haven', and considered to be out of the line-of-fire and recoil area for this operation.

Recommendations

- Investigation initiated.

- Safety moment shared with Marine Community.

Emphasis of safety moment placed on following lessons learned:

1. Be aware of what a “Safe Haven” means. Crash rails are not to be considered as safe havens.

2. Ensure a clear deck policy means no one within a snap back zone. When any wire is under tension on the deck, no personnel are permitted to be either in the crash rail or aft of the tugger winches.

Worker position behind cargo barrier in area considered a 'safe haven'. Note: Configuration of equipment on vessel deck is not the same as when

the incident occurred.

 Photograph of chain sling similar to item which parted and was lost

overboard.

Marine Safety Flash A14-11 (15th July)  

MarineSafe Australasia Safety Flash – in the interests of improving industry safety  Keeping safe between the crash rails 

Amputation of lower leg

Incident Overview

During inbound towage operations, a tug was assisting at line aft position, the weather was fine and there was still plenty of light left in the day. While retrieving the tow line, a ship’s crew member’s lower leg was caught up in the messenger line.

As a result of the entanglement in the messenger line and the line developing tension, the crew member’s lower leg was completely severed between the knee and the ankle with the amputated section of limb lost overboard and not recovered.

The exact details of what occurred on the poop deck of the berthing vessel are not yet clear, what is under investigation is how the crew member has become entangled in the messenger line.

Key Findings

The accident is under investigation.

Recommendations

In lieu of the findings in the investigation report… Before your vessel’s next mooring operation, have a safety meeting and discuss the tug and mooring operations.

Take the time to have a good look at the way things are done on the vessel and try to identify areas for improvement.

Discuss how you will rectify these acts or conditions. Document how they will be eliminated or the risk associated with them reduced to the lowest

possible level.

Remember, releasing a tug is a team effort, just like almost everything on a ship we have to rely on and assist our team members to complete the task safely. Look out for your mates, but don’t become reliant on them looking out for you because we all have to remain vigilant enough to ensure our own safety.

If you see an unsafe act or condition developing then let people know straight away, you may not get a second chance.