Page 49 - CHIRP annual digest 2016.pdf

CHIRPAnnual Digest 2016

leak. This leak went unnoticed because, though the yard There was no daily job meeting, meaning there was no
staff regularly checked the oil residue tanks, the measure - opportunity to assess the risks.
ments were not recorded.
The second case concerned a diesel generator tripping out
In REPORT 2: During safety rounds in an engine room, a on a cooling water temperature alarm. The stand-by
deck seal seawater pump was leaking. The pump was generator started automatically; electrical power was
stopped and the valves were closed. In the absence of restored. Subsequent investigation revealed that cable
warning signs to this effect, another engineer later insulation had peeled off; two cables then made contact,
restarted the pump before repair. leading to a short-circuit. Following the repair, all other
generators were inspected and several damaged cables
In REPORT 3:A bourdon tube on a pressure gauge for high
were identified that required immediate attention.
pressure cleaning oil on an auto backwash filter was found
to be damaged. The damage was caused when the line Lessons to be learnt
pressure exceeded the maximum allowable pressure of the In the first case, insulated gloves saved the engineer from
gauge. It had been replaced with a gauge of much lower injury. However several necessary measures were lacking
specification. After it was put into service, the bourdon (see below).
tube punctured, the pressure being well above the new
gauge’s limit; oil sprayed the surrounding area, with In the second case, the stand-by generator started
consequent high risk of fire. automatically; power was restored. However the inspec -
tion and maintenance of cabling beforehand was below
Lessons to be learnt standard.
In REPORT 1: Daily soundings of tanks need to be CHIRP Suggests
recorded; otherwise losses may be missed. Pre-planned Electricity can be a killer; working with it demands the
responses and actions in the event of activation should be
utmost respect. A risk assessment, electrical permit to
available for all alarms. Routine tests of alarms are crucial work, isolation of the equipment by tagging or locking
and should include checks of settings and thresholds
out, a toolbox talk and proper supervision should have
where appropriate.
been in place and would have mitigated all risks. The
In REPORT 2:The occurrence could have caused both injury UKCOSWP 2015 chapter 14 refers.
and equipment damage. It highlights the importance of the Electrical cables should be inspected periodically. The
permit to work system, isolation procedures, “do not
inspection of generators is routinely covered by planned
operate” notices and effective information exchange within maintenance schedules.
spaces, especially engineering spaces at handover or
following maintenance periods. However are procedures intelligently followed with the
right supervision and training? Or do we blindly follow
In REPORT 3: The potentially disastrous consequences of
the worksheet (ticking boxes)? This is a continuously
fitting of sub-specification gauges or components is clearly recurring theme.
demonstrated.
The above article was published in MFB 44
The above article was published in MFB 44

Article. 40
Article. 39 Routine Inspection Reveals Hazards
Electric Shocks During a routine inspection by a recently joined ship

What did the reporters tell us? management team, it was noticed that a bunker Master
The first report concerned an auxiliary feed water pump valve showed 25% open, despite the valve being lashed
starter panel. An alarm sounded, indicating a trip, followed ‘shut’ with rope. When the valve was checked, its handle
by a fire alarm; smoke was coming from the panel. and gearbox collapsed. The body of the gearbox was glued
Although there was no fire, the thermal relay unit and the with plastic steel, and had been painted to conceal the
electrical cables were burnt. No injury was incurred, thanks problem; in addition a copper blank had been placed
to insulated rubber gloves being worn. The cause was use between the valve and the bunker piping system. The valve
of a metallic brush part of which touched two live wires. was in fact partly open with fuel oil in the line. Further

48