Hong Kong Marine Department issues Merchant Shipping Information Note
Hong Kong Marine Department issues Merchant Shipping Information Note regarding Fatal Accident in starting Deck Hydraulic Winches as follows:
A fatal accident occurred on a Hong Kong registered ship at a repair yard, and the Chief Officer was killed by an unexpected movement of the derrick boom when he switched on the hydraulic pump of the deck winches. This information note draws the attention of Shipowners, Ship Managers, Ship Operators, Masters, Officers and Crew to the lessons learnt
from this accident.
The Accident
1. The derrick boom of the Hong Kong registered ship was damaged due to bad weather during discharging in port. The gooseneck end of the boom was dismantled. The boom was lowered down and secured across the forecastle deck by lashings at both ends with the cargo wire wrapped around the boom for the voyage to the repair yard. When the vessel was alongside at
the repair yard, the Chief Officer (C/O) attempted to slack and remove the cargo wire to prepare the boom for quick removal to the repair yard in the afternoon.
2. At the time of the accident, the C/O was alone on the forecastle deck. He was standing in between the boom and the derrick post and was close to the latter on which an electrical switch box was mounted. When he pressed the switch button to start the hydraulic pump of the deck winches, the cargo winch moved instantly and caused the boom to jerk up and swing towards him. His head was hit by the boom against the hinge of the switch box. As a result, he sustained serious head injury and subsequently died in the hospital.
3. Preliminary findings from the investigation reveal that the cargo winch’s brake was left open and the locking device which secured the winch’s control lever in the neutral position was disengaged when the hydraulic pump was started. As the brake and the locking device were not
engaged when the pump was switched on, the cargo winch moved unexpectedly, lifted up the boom and caused it to swing towards, hit and kill the C/O.
Lessons Learnt
4. To avoid recurrence of similar accident, it is important that:
-the officer and/or the ratings designated to operate the winches should follow the maker’s instructions and/or the relevant procedures in the ship’s safety management manual and ensure that the brakes of the winches are applied and the control levers of the winches are locked in the neutral position before the hydraulic system of the deck winches was started; and
-the officer and the ratings should avoid operating the deck winches alone.
5. The attention of Shipowners, Ship Managers, Ship Operators, Masters, Officers and Crew is drawn to the lessons learnt above.
Source: Hong Kong Marine Department