Health & Safety

IMO updates guidelines for abandon ship drills using lifeboats

Posted on by News Hound
Lifeboat ready for deployment
Photo credit: Riley Huntley/wikipedia.org

At the 98th Session of its Maritime Safety Committee earlier this year, IMO plans to enshrine a range of amendments in to the guidelines relating to abandon ship drills using lifeboats with the aim of reducing related accidents.

The Committee approved the Guidelines on safety during abandon ship drills using lifeboats, following the amalgamation of annex 1 to the Measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats and the Interim Recommendation on conditions for authorization of service providers for lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear in the Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.

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MAIB report into carbon monoxide poisoning on Vasquez

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The Motor Cruiser, Vazquez
The Motor Cruiser, Vazquez

The MAIB has published its report and findings into a carbon monoxide poisoning incident onboard motor cruiser Vasquez moored in Cardiff Bay, which led to loss of life.

At approximately 1200 (UTC) on 12 November 2016, the owner of the 7.75m motor cruiser Vasquez fell unconscious after being overcome by carbon monoxide (CO) that had been emitted from failed rubber bellows that formed part of the inboard engine’s wet-exhaust system. Although rescuers came to his aid, it was not possible to save his life. The boat’s engine had not been regularly serviced and there was evidence that the exhaust system of the engine had been modified during the boat’s life. Continue reading “MAIB report into carbon monoxide poisoning on Vasquez”

Standard P&I Club publishes a guide to enclosed space casualties

Posted on by News Hound
Enclosed Space Entry guide by Standard P&I
Enclosed Space Entry guide by Standard P&I

The Standard P&I Club says that investigation into enclosed space related casualties has shown that most are caused by poor training and knowledge of the correct entry procedures, or a total disregard for them. As a consequence, the Club has published a comprehensive guide to address all key issues and to help anyone to enter enclosed spaces safely. The Standard P&I Club guide highlights shortfalls in individual company procedures in equipment, training and onboard practices.

Firstly, Standard Club enlists incidents related to enclosed spaces which have been already reported to the Club, illustrating different ways in which a seafarer can put himself in danger in these areas onboard. Analysis of these incidents have helped the Club to address key factors that contribute to enclosed space casualties as follows:
• poor training
• failure to follow proper procedures for enclosed space entry
• failure to recognise the danger of an enclosed space
• tendency to trust physical senses and forego testing or checks
• attempts to save a co-worker leading to short cuts and failure to follow procedures
• failure to manage safely any shore workers on board. Continue reading “Standard P&I Club publishes a guide to enclosed space casualties”

Effectiveness of lifejackets called into question by MAIB report on the foundering of fishing vessel Louisa

Posted on by News Hound
Photograph of Louisa recovery
Photograph of Louisa recovery

Early on 9 April 2016, the fishing vessel Louisa foundered, with the loss of three lives, while anchored close to the shore in Mingulay Bay in the Outer Hebrides.

The skipper and crew, who had been working long hours before anchoring late the previous evening, had woken suddenly as the vessel was sinking rapidly by the bow. They were able to escape to the aft deck, activate the emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), and to don lifejackets. However, they were unable to inflate the liferaft as they abandoned the vessel.

Continue reading “Effectiveness of lifejackets called into question by MAIB report on the foundering of fishing vessel Louisa”

Improperly tightened bolts on fuel inlet flange the probable cause of fire on Carnival Liberty

Posted on by News Hound
A fuel inlet flage
A fuel inlet flage

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined the probable cause of the engine room fire on the Carnival Liberty as improperly tightened bolts on a fuel inlet flange.

On the morning of September 7, 2015, the Liberty was alongside at the Charlotte Amalie cruise terminal on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. At 1133 hours, fuel pressure alarms and fire alarms went off for the Liberty’s #4 diesel generator, located in the aft engine room. The third engineer activated the space’s HI-FOG fire suppression system within one minute of the alarm, and the second engineer switched the ship’s electrical load over to the #2 generator, which is located in the ship’s forward engine room. Shortly thereafter, the chief engineer arrived at the control room and authorized the closure of fuel and lube oil shutoff valves for generators #4-6. By 1137, the engineering team had also closed off fans and dampers to the aft compartment.

Continue reading “Improperly tightened bolts on fuel inlet flange the probable cause of fire on Carnival Liberty”

Safety warning issued by MAIB following a fatal boiler explosion on ship Manhattan Bridge

Posted on by News Hound
The Manhattan Bridge. Photo credit: Ron van de Velde
The Manhattan Bridge. Photo credit: Ron van de Velde

The engine room oiler, Manhattan Bridge, suffered fatal injuries and the second engineer suffered severe burn injuries when a furnace explosion occurred on the vessel’s auxiliary boiler. The oiler and engineer were attempting to restart the boiler after it had suffered a flame failure cut out.

The boiler had tripped out several times due to flame and ignition failures earlier in the day and had been successfully restarted by the second engineer.

Following the accident, waxy deposits, sufficient to cause intermittent fuel supply problems, were found in the boiler’s distillate fuel supply filter.

Continue reading “Safety warning issued by MAIB following a fatal boiler explosion on ship Manhattan Bridge”

Ditch the rudimentary liquefaction can test advises the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators

Posted on by News Hound
The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has warned about the use of the can test method
The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has warned about the use of the can test method

The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has called for a complete overhaul of the cargo sampling and liquefaction testing protocols for raw ores and less common cargoes, such as nickel ore, fine wet coal and bauxite.

Professor Mike Bradley, a member of the advisory panel to the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators and head of Greenwich University’s Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, said the current measures in place to test cargoes for potential liquefaction are inadequate, especially for raw ores and variable materials being loaded in ports where conditions are inclement.

Continue reading “Ditch the rudimentary liquefaction can test advises the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators”

Lack of routine maintenance led to three injured crew due to collapse of accommodation ladder

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An accommodation ladder attached to a ship
An accommodation ladder attached to a ship

Once the 190m-long bulk carrier was moored alongside, the three crewmen were sent to rig its starboard accommodation ladder. The accommodation ladder was in its stowed position and needed to be unstowed, lowered to the quayside and rigged ready for use.

The top of the accommodation ladder was hinged onto a turntable, which in turn was mounted on a platform attached to the ship’s deck. The access platform at the bottom of the ladder was fitted with a set of collapsible handrails on either side.

Continue reading “Lack of routine maintenance led to three injured crew due to collapse of accommodation ladder”

MAIB report published about the fire on board fishing vessel Ardent II

Posted on by News Hound
The wrecked fishing vessel Ardent II
The wrecked fishing vessel Ardent II

At approximately 0500 on 16 August 2016, a fire started in the crew mess room of the fishing vessel Ardent II while alongside in Peterhead. The three crew sleeping on board escaped without injury but the vessel was extensively damaged and later declared a constructive total loss.

The MAIB investigation identified that:
– An electrical fault or failure of a multi-socket adapter in the crew mess was the most likely cause of the fire
– There was no smoke detector fitted in the crew mess room and it was fortunate one of the crew awoke and discovered the fire

Continue reading “MAIB report published about the fire on board fishing vessel Ardent II”

BMA safety alert about wire gripe following a lifeboat incident

Posted on by News Hound
Wire Gripe Line
Wire Gripe Line

The Bahamas Maritime Authority issued a safety alert to inform about the sudden disengagement of a lifeboat during a ship inspection onboard a tanker following a wire gripe incident. The safety alert includes a description of the incident and lessons learnt to try and prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.

The incident

Whilst alongside the loading port, a Aframax tanker conducted a Port State Control (PSC) inspection during which the testing of the lifeboat engine and rudder was required. While swinging out the starboard lifeboat, the lifeboat disengaged from the aft fall hook without any warning. The lifeboat hook did not open, instead the master link pulled clear through the gate on the on-load release gear resulting in the lifeboat falling heavily. The aft end of the boat hit the fish plate on the main deck and slid over the side resulting in the boat hanging from the forward hook. No personnel were in the lifeboat and no injuries were sustained.

Continue reading “BMA safety alert about wire gripe following a lifeboat incident”

Transport Malta: Investigation into explosion on-board MV Delfini

Posted on by News Hound
The Blue Lagoon yacht, MV Delfini
The Blue Lagoon yacht, MV Delfini

Transport Malta has issued an investigation report about an engine explosion on-board a passenger vessel, MV Delfini, which caused severe burn injuries to two people back in May 2016. The report sets out to determine the circumstances of the accident as a basis for making recommendations in order to prevent further and similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The incident

Two motor mechanics from the Company’s workshop were sent on board MV Delfini to investigate an engine problem reported by the vessel’s skipper and engine driver. Work was necessary on the port main engine to identify and eliminate the exhaust white smoke, which was being emitted by the engine under load conditions.

Continue reading “Transport Malta: Investigation into explosion on-board MV Delfini”

BMA issues a warnings about Alcares lifejacket light battery failure

Posted on by News Hound
Corroded and exploded battery
Corroded and exploded battery

The Bahamas Maritime Authority has issued a technical alert to bring to operators’ and inspectors’ attention that deficiencies have been found in lifejacket lights manufactured by Alcares in particular types Jack A1-Alk and Jack ARH-Alk, distributed by Datrex. A number of ships have reported issues relating to these defective lifejacket lights.

The notice highlights the following:
– Examination of the lights revealed that the batteries had leaked, resulting in contamination on the main board and resulting in the lights being considered unfit for further use.
Continue reading “BMA issues a warnings about Alcares lifejacket light battery failure”

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