[EDITOR’S NOTE]
Whoever said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff ,” probably never worked in the lifting and rigging industry. Our industry is built on safety, and when it comes to safety, the details matter. Safety doesn’t happen by chance—the details are the small stuff . We have systems in place to achieve it. Our systems have standards and guidelines to follow—comprised of checklists and criteria that are objectively black and white, with little room for gray. But even with the best systems, accidents can happen. After all, we’re human.
Recall October 2013, when a mooring rope broke on the Atair J causing a fatal accident.
According to the Danish Maritime Investigation Report, the vessel had arrived in the Port of Aarhus for discharging and loading general cargo in containers. T is was a workhorse of a ship, with a busy schedule that included fi ve ports a week in Northern Europe. On the day of the accident, there was a strong southeasterly breeze that made it diffi cult
to berth the ship. T erefore, it was decided to use the spring line to hold the bow in place and use the rudder and propulsion to pull the stern alongside. T e spring line parted shortly after having been secured to the quay bollard and struck the bosun, who was standing in the enclosed forecastle, causing fatal injuries. T e accident occurred for a variety of reasons, but the report boiled down to improper
use and wear of the rope. While the use factor is evident with hindsight, the crewmembers also didn’t realize that the mooring rope was in a questionable condition. Even with safety regulations in place, there is no escaping Murphy’s Law, and accident prevention largely depends on the level of compliance. In this industry, the on-the-job demands are tough, but we open ourselves to risk when we don’t slow down and pay attention to the details. T is issue features a comprehensive look into three compelling topics: wire rope’s pivotal
role on Navy aircraft carriers; the celebrated salvage and return to port of the Costa Concordia in Italy; and how neglecting routine rope maintenance could spell big trouble for companies, and projects, of any size. T e common bond linking all three of these stories is the priority placed on safety systems. Just as a Naval aircraft carrier crew wouldn’t pride their performance on a “pretty good” number of successful landings, our industry instills the same level of expectations on every job—safety is the fi rst priority, 100% of the time. No questions asked. Most experts will say that the way to maximize safety is to minimize risk. T is often includes staying informed of product innovations and application guidelines, keeping up on education and training, and emphasizing a clear worksite process with “safety fi rst and always” as your primary focus. Ultimately, your goal should be to ensure that, while accidents may happen, they don’t happen on your watch. T ank you for reading, and remember to take advantage of what the Exchange can do for you.
Best,
Melissa Hood, Editor | Wire Rope Exchange P.O. Box 159323, Nashville, TN, 37215 Email:
mhood@wireropeexchange.com
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Upcoming Events WSTDA
October 13–16, 2014 | Kansas City, MO
www.wstda.com
National Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo October 22–24, 2014 | Las Vegas, NV
www.fastenershows.com
AWRF Fall General Meeting & P.I.E October 26–29, 2014 | St. Louis, MO
www.awrf.org
IMCA Fiber Rope Workshop October 29, 2014 | Amsterdam
www.imca-int.com
NACB 2014 Professional Development Conference November 17–21, 2014
www.cranesafe.com
Bauma China
November 25–28, 2014 | Shanghai, China
www.bauma-china.com
OSEA 2014
December 2–5, 2014 | Singapore
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International Workboat Show December 3–5, 2014 | New Orleans, LA
www.workboatshow.com
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BACKBONE. We encourage you to help veterans and active-duty
individuals who need our assistance to
recover from brain and spinal injuries.
Operation Backbone provides crucial brain and spine surgical treatments for active-duty & veterans who need an accelerated substitute to their current care options. Post strength training provided by (NHL) Buff alo Sabres.
@TheWRExchange 4 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014 WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
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