The Nautical Institute draws lessons learned from an incident in which recognizing the potential danger due to the vessel’s movement, the crew member intervened, prompting the chief cook to safely relocate the knife to a magnetic holder.
A vessel was underway and experiencing severe rolling and pitching due to a heavy, long swell. In the galley, personnel were preparing the next meal. While passing near the galley, another crew member observed that the chief cook had placed his chef’s knife on the edge of the prep table, directly above his right foot.
The crew member intervened and reminded the chief cook that, given the vessel’s movement, this could lead to an unfortunate accident. The chief cook agreed and placed the knife on the magnetic holder.
Lessons learned
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Every crew member is responsible for their own safety. That said, all crew as a team should also look out for their shipmates. Anyone committing unsafe acts should be brought back on the ‘Safety Train’.
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We all sometimes lose our situational awareness, become fixated on a task, and take shortcuts. Don’t hesitate to intervene, in a diplomatic and tactful manner, if you see unsafe acts being committed.
