Page 22 - CHIRP annual digest 2016.pdf

CHIRP Maritime

■ The gases should be identified by signage with a
‘Danger – No Smoking’ notice.
■ If in doubt refer to COSWP Chapter 24.8.
We have since received a report whereby a ship was taking
on board an acetylene cylinder. The cylinder arrived on a
one sided protected pallet, not suitable for lifting. Since
the vessel’s cylinder cage was located in the forward part
of the vessel, the supervising officer decided to use an
onboard fabricated lifting tool consisting of a U-clamp
welded to a cylinder cap and then lifted it on board!
Fortunately there was no incident in this case but
accidents involving gas cylinders can cause serious injury
or even death.

CHIRP Suggests
The approved method for moving single oxy-acetylene
cylinders is by a dedicated trolley. The use of a homemade After the towage was complete we cut the very heavy
tool to lift gas cylinders is not in compliance with the monkey's fist open to find it had a large metal nut and
COSWP, nor does it indicate the existence of a robust bolt in its interior. If this had hit a tug crew member on
safety culture on board. This activity should have been the head it would have been lethal.
stopped.
I was most impressed that the seaman was so proactive
The above article was published in MFB45
towards safe operations but even more impressed that the
Article. 20 towage company had, at their own expense, manufactured
Weighted Monkey Fist on Heaving Line a safe alternative to gift to the ship's crew.

When undertaking annual competency assessments in a New A large metal bolt & nut were hidden in the centre of the
Zealand port I witnessed a heaving line being thrown from monkey’s fist! The yellow rubber replacement heaving line
the raised forecastle of a bulker in ballast onto the foredeck weight is designed not to injure tug crews & not to bounce
of an ASD tug. It landed right beside the seaman on the tug. when hitting the deck.

By Capt Arie Nygh
Without a moment’s hesitation the seaman whipped his
knife out and cut the monkey's fist off the heaving line, CHIRP Ambassador
then attached a new rubber heaving line weight to the
ship's line, tied the tug's towline messenger to it and sent
the whole lot back up to the ship.

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