Hong Kong Merchant Shipping has issued an information note to draw lessons learned from an incident where a fatal accident took place on board during cargo hold cleaning.
The incident
A fatal accident happened on board a Hong Kong registered bulk carrier (the vessel) when it was en route to Balikpapan, Indonesia. At the time of the accident, an able-bodied seaman (the AB) was standing on a grating of the athwartships forward Permanent Means of Access (PMA) platform (the fore platform) of the cargo hold No. 6 (the hold) to wash the forward upper part of the hold.
Unfortunately, the grating where the AB was standing suddenly detached from its support frame. Consequently, the AB lost his balance and fell onto the tank top of the hold, resulting in his death.
Investigation
The investigation identified that the contributory factors of the accident were that the crew failed to:
- follow the requirements of the shipboard Safety Management System (SMS) to carry out an effective risk assessment on board before the hold cleaning, including identifying the dislocation risk of the grating of the fore platform;
- wear a safety belt when working aloft during the hold cleaning;
- supervise on the spot the hold cleaning work aloft;
- carry out proper maintenance of the fore platform in the hold;
- identify the defective fore platform in the last detailed inspection of the hold
- check the condition of the fore platform in the hold before entering the hold for cleaning. The accident also revealed that the shipboard training for the crew on working aloft was ineffective
Lessons learned
In order to avoid recurrence of similar accidents during operation in the future, the ship management company, all masters, officers, and crew members should:
- strictly follow the shipboard SMS to carry out an effective risk assessment before cargo hold cleaning and identify dislocation risks of gratings of PMA platforms;
- ensure the crew to wear safety belts when working aloft;
- enhance on-the-spot supervision by the person in charge during cargo hold cleaning;
- ensure PMA platforms and their gratings are properly maintained and inspected;
- ensure that the conditions of PMA platforms and their gratings have been checked before entering cargo holds for cleaning and maintenance;
- enhance shipboard training for the crew on working aloft and their safety awareness on the use of safety belts.
Conclusion is wron.AB shall wear safety harness and FPD (fall preventing device) shall be in use.Safety belts are obsolete and dangerous in use, it was causing spine injury, when seaman was falling.