The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in its latest safety lesson from marine incident investigations present an incident where a contractor working on a vessel fell into the water whilst disembarking due to the gap between the wharf and the vessel.
What happened
A contractor was completing work on a vessel alongside a wharf and was preparing to disembark with their tool bag. There was a 1 metre gap between the vessel and the wharf, and no means of safe access was in place.
The contractor leaned over the side of the vessel to place a heavy tool bag on the wharf, with the straps of the bag wrapped around their arm. While the contractor was stretching across, the tool bag fell from the wharf. The contractor’s arm had become trapped by the tool bag handles, and they were dragged over the side and into the water.
The contractor managed to free their arm and surfaced. They then swam to the stern of the vessel and climbed onboard.
Investigation findings
The investigation found that a safe means of access to the vessel was not provided by the operator at the time of incident.
Lessons learned:
- The above example shows how a lack of safe access can rapidly escalate into a life-threatening incident. The risk is increased by any weights being carried by the person, and the likelihood of striking their head or limbs between the wharf and vessel on their way into the water.
- Under the National Law, the owner and master are responsible for ensuring safety for all people, including contractors, boarding a domestic commercial vessel. In addition to the National Law, workplace health and safety regulations require that the risk of falls in general need to be addressed, and this includes falls when boarding and disembarking a vessel.
- The means of access to and from the vessel should be risk assessed and covered by a procedure as part of the vessel’s safety management system.
