Page 7 - CHIRP annual digest 2016.pdf

Annual Digest 2016

This section features a number of familiar
scenarios – a crew member leaning outside the
ship’s bulwarks when working at a height,
improper entry to enclosed spaces and a failure
to understand what comprises an enclosed space,
accidents during embarkation and transfer
between vessels, unsuitable berths, the dangers
of snap-back zones, a vessel with multiple serious
deficiencies, and improper procedures for clearing
a blocked pipe. Perhaps the most remarkable
thing about the reports in this section is that
nobody was killed and it is tempting to say some
of them deserved to feature in the ‘Darwin
Awards’!
There is no excuse for complacency, but everyone
at sea needs to be constantly reminded to be on
his or her guard and always to think about safety.
Improper entry into enclosed spaces is the
second-biggest killer of seafarers, yet we still
receive reports of almost suicidal acts of
stupidity. And for officers who are not sure, we
repeat the comment in one of the reports below
– a fresh water tank IS an enclosed space!
At the end of this section we include an
interesting CHIRP Maritime Advisory Board
Insight article about the potential inadequacies
of snap-back zones. It invites you to think about
better ways of ensuring safety during mooring
operations, and is well worth reading and
discussing with your colleagues.

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