Transport Malta studies an incident the place the tipping of free metal plates prompted crew harm on a chemical tanker.
What occurred
On 21 November 2023, whereas the motor tanker Amur Star was en path to Immingham, United Kingdom, the electrician discovered the second engineer unconscious, trapped by metal plates within the steering gear compartment. The electrician raised the alarm, and collectively with different crew members, he freed the second engineer and tried to resuscitate him. The grasp sought medical assist from the German authorities, and though two medical groups boarded the vessel by helicopter, they had been unable to revive the second engineer.
The protection investigation concluded that the second engineer was alone within the steering gear compartment. A stack of heavy metal plates that was saved vertically and free from its lashings, tipped over on him, presumably on account of the pure motion of the vessel in a seaway. The MSIU has issued two suggestions to the Firm and the flag State Administration, designed to handle the protected stowage of heavy metal plates, and lift consciousness on this specific hazard.
Security actions taken
The corporate took numerous security actions together with:
initiated its personal inner investigation into the accident on board the vessel;
issued a Round Fleet Alert on 27 November 2023 to all its managed vessels;
reviewed its security administration procedures to make them extra sturdy and incorporate the findings of this accident. Firm audit and inspection checklists have been included for the inspection of metal plate storage preparations on board;
appointed Fathom Marine Consultants, UK, to create a coaching video concerning the accident;
the world across the metal plates has been marked as hazardous;
a discover has been posted to warning crew members that work necessitating using metal plates, needed to be notified to the chief engineer beforehand;
a poster for the dealing with, stowage and securing of metal plates and pipes has been ready and circulated among the many fleet vessels;
non-essential metal plates have been landed ashore;
extra-reinforcement was welded across the metal plates to limit them from tripping over, even when the lashings is launched;
initiated the method for the buying of a metal plate stowage rack for all fleet vessels;
launched a marketing campaign on all fleet vessels for the verification of metal plates securing preparations on board.
Suggestions
Bearing in mind the protection actions taken, the corporate is really useful to:
15/2024_R1 flow into the discovering of this investigation to its managed and ownedfleet.
The flag State Administration is really useful to:
15/2024_R2 problem an data discover to ship house owners and ship managers, highlighting the significance of protected stowage and securing of metal plates, guarantee the supply of the mandatory instruments and means to deal with metal plates safely, and to switch any pointless heavy metal plates ashore.
Did you subscribe to our every day E-newsletter?
It’s Free Click on right here to Subscribe!
Supply: Transport Malta
