The American P&I Club announced a new initiative aimed at preventing injuries caused by slips, trips and falls, the leading source of injuries on board ships. It includes two related case studies to raise awareness of the hazards associated with slips, trips and falls.
The first case study considers the risks of personal fall arrest equipment that is improperly maintained.
Description of the Incident
During routine maintenance work aloft while at sea, a 41 year old able bodied seaman was seriously injured after a near fatal fall from a height of 13 feet (4 meters) onto to the cross deck. The fall was ultimately determined to be the consequence of the lanyard on his fall arrest equipment breaking under tension. The safety harness was found to be overused and had gone unchecked as evidence had shown upon review of the maintenance records for life saving appliances.
Actual Injuries: The seafarer sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis, left wrist, ribs and a ruptured spleen. The injury to his pelvis required both surgical and external stabilization.
Potential Risks: Serious bodily injury or death. In the event of a fall, it is critical that personal fall arrest equipment has been properly donned, fully functional and reliable. For this reason, personal fall protection equipment must be inspected regularly and checked to be fully functional before each use. Improper storage and care for fall this equipment will increase the likelihood that the next piece of equipment that your shipmate picks up is dangerously weakened.
Please click below to view what the American P&I Club recommends
See below Club’s safety poster on slips, trips and falls for shipboard use
SAFETY4SEA Team met Mrs Dorothea Ioannou, Global Business Development Director, The American P&I Club at Posidonia 2016, June 6-10, Metropolitan Expo, Athens for an interview with respect Club’s loss prevention initiatives.
Please click here to view the YouTube video
Source: The American P&I Club
