Perception of risk important for safe operations

Perception of risk important for safe operations
7 February 2018 https://www.safety4sea.com/perception-of-risk-important-for-safe-operati...

While the vessel ‘Sultan Bey’ was on a voyage from Alexandroupoli, Greece to Marseilles, France, with 003 mt of wheat in bulk, a motorman was injured while he was cleaning the fuel oil vent overflow containment tray.

The incident

On 01 February 2017, the chief mate instructed the bosun to open the hatch covers of the ship to ventilate the cargo before ship’s arrival.

While the bosun and three seamen were preparing to open number 1 cargo hold, a motorman, who was on duty in the engineroom, came on deck to clean the fuel oil vent overflow containment tray, located between hatch coamings.

The bosun informed the motorman of the plan and warned him to stay clear of the area. When the bosun started opening cargo hold number 1, he heard a loud scream. The operations were stopped and the motorman was discovered near the starboard over-flow containment tray, bleeding from the nose and ear.

Initial medical aid on board stopped the bleeding but the motorman remained in severe pain. The master called La Garde MRCC over the ship’s radio for medical assistance. Paramedics arrived on board and the injured motorman was airlifted and taken to a specialised hospital in Toulon, France. On 06 February 2017, the motorman underwent a surgical intervention. He recovered well and was discharged from hospital on 13 February 2017 for further rest at home.

Probable cause

The cargo hatch covers consisted of several steel pontoons linked together with a chain. The opening of the hatch cover is controlled from a power control unit. The pontoons move on rollers, running on tracks fitted on the hatch coaming.

When the hatch covers are opened, the individual steel pontoons, roll up and tip onto a stowage space behind the hatch coaming. The pontoons in the stowed position tend to sway about the rollers.

The crew members indicated that the motorman was injured on the upper part of the fuel air-vent post.

The injured crew member was wearing PPE, including a safety helmet and he was not specifically told to reschedule the task, thus it is very likely that he did not suspect that the pontoon could swing so dangerously close to the fuel air-vent post, entrapping his head as he set about cleaning the containment tray.

The crew members have neither seen the motorman move abaft the hatch coaming nor witnessed the accident. Moreover, the injured crew member declined to give a written statement or verbal explanation of events.

Recommendations

Taking into considerations the actions taken by the company and the vessel, no recommendations were made as a result of the safety investigation.

You can see further information regarding the accident by clicking the PDF here https://www.safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Transport-Malta-MV...