Lessons Learned: Safety Line Failure Leads To Crew Fall

Transport Malta stories of security line failure, resulting in a crew member’s fall from a peak within the forepeak tank.

What occurred

Within the afternoon of 04 November 2021, the bosun was working aloft with the hydroblaster to de-rust and clear a piece of the forepeak tank. A number of different crew members had been within the forepeak tank to help with the duty.

At one level, the bosun fell from a peak of about 10 metres, to the underside of the forepeak tank. He was later evacuated to a hospital. His fall led to disabilities which can prohibit him from pursuing his seafaring profession.

The protection investigation concluded that because of the restricted visibility within the forepeak tank, the bosun had likely handed the rotating jet of the hydroblaster gun throughout the rope, which was linked to his security harness.

Contemplating the security actions taken by the Firm, the MSIU has not made any suggestions.

Actions taken

Through the security investigation, the Firm took the next actions:

A standardisation of PPE for working at heights was carried out throughout the fleet, following session with third events specialising on this sector. The vessels had been supplied with retractable fall arresters with galvanised metal rope.
Security info was despatched to the fleet, instructing the masters to remind the crew on the precautions to be taken when working aloft and the significance of the correct utilisation of security harnesses.
A brand new job planning type was launched all through the Fleet, requiring the crew to finish and ahead the identical to the Firm, for overview of the situations of the job, previous to graduation.
Entities specializing in personnel coaching had been contracted to conduct coaching of superintendents and crew members on board for working at heights and entry into enclosed areas.
A brand new ‘Lock-out Tag-out’ process was applied, and the Firm’s vessels had been supplied with one electrical and one hydraulic isolation package to make sure correct isolation of related tools previous to the graduation of a activity.
The SMS Handbook was revised to incorporate a PPE stock, and the crew familiarization checklists had been additionally revised to incorporate references to this stock.