Safe working conditions remain an issue on board vessels visiting Australia
Shipboard tasks such as working at heights and/or over the side, mooring and rigging (for example an accommodation ladder or pilot ladder) are considered high-risk operations. Unfortunately, these tasks are often conducted in an unsafe manner and this topic is highlighted in a recent AMSA Safety Awareness Bulletin with two case studies featured.
Case study I
A seafarer fell in the cargo hold while undertaking repairs from the number 3 cargo hold access ladder and sustained fatal injuries. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) conducted a Port State control inspection and investigation following this incident. The vessel was detained with significant deficiencies related to the vessel’s safety management system.
The investigation findings identified systemic failure in the vessel’s safety management system to ensure safe shipboard operations and maintenance of the vessel. The safety equipment, such as helmet and safety harness were in very poor condition and defective. The operator did not adequately maintain the safety equipment and did not provide safety harnesses required for working at heights. There was a lack of safety culture and leadership onboard the vessel.
The shortcomings included:
- poor risk assessment process - failure to provide seafarers with safety harnesses and associated equipment for working at heights
- failure to maintain safety equipment and PPE - failure to allocate available resources - fatigue not appropriately managed.
Credit: Substandard, significantly worn waist harness. Source: AMSA Case study II
A seafarer was testing the ship’s personnel elevator after completing mechanical repairs. While on the elevator cage top, the seafarer was fatally injured after being trapped between the moving cage and the bulkhead.
The reason the seafarer was in this position and became trapped could not be determined. However, seafarers onboard were not informed that elevator work was being conducted and warning signs were not in place to indicate the elevator was out of service. This allowed elevator call requests to be made while the work was underway, while the seafarer was on the cage top. For any task that is performed on multiple occasions without any adverse consequences, there is the potential for an individual’s perception of risk to decrease. Hence it is important to follow documented procedures and safe working practices, even when one considers the task/operation to be safe.
It is important that close and careful supervision is maintained for elevator testing and tasks. Supervisory oversight provides an external check and safety barrier before, and during, the work.
THE REPORT | DEC 2023 | ISSUE 106 | 29
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