In its latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB provides lessons learned from an incident where a team leader’s torso was crushed between the bulwark gate and the barge ladder fender.
The incident
It was mid-afternoon and the fish farm technicians, who had been on the water since about 0800, were cold, tired, and hungry. The site team leader, who had missed the opportunity to have lunch, asked one of the fish farm’s workboat skippers for a lift to a moored barge where he would be able to eat his lunch in the warmth of the control cabin.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
The short passage to the barge was uneventful and the workboat skipper and team leader, who had often worked together, chatted on the vessel’s bridge. They did not specifically discuss the transfer from the workboat to the barge, which was regarded as routine. During the final approach to the barge, the team leader made his way onto the deck in preparation for the transfer.
The sea conditions were slight as the workboat approached the barge and its skipper began positioning the vessel. The team leader, wearing a PFD with unfastened crotch straps, stood ready by the open bulwark gate. As the workboat’s bulwark gate came level with the barge access adder, but while the workboat was still moving slowly ahead, the team leader stepped through the gate and onto the ladder. Before the workboat’s skipper could react, the team leader’s torso was crushed between the bulwark gate and the barge ladder fender.
The seriously injured team leader shouted in pain as the workboat drifted away. A worker on the barge rushed to assist and took hold of the team leader’s PFD collar to prevent him falling from the ladder. The team leader could not feel his legs and shortly afterwards slipped out of his jacket and PFD and fell into the water. He surfaced seconds later, floating on his back but apparently unconscious.
Despite being quickly recovered onto the workboat, and the valiant efforts of the workboat crew, farm technicians and emergency services, the team leader could not be resuscitated.
Lessons learned
#1 Plan: The transfer of the team leader from the workboat to the barge was unplanned. Transfers to the barge were usually made by a small rigid inflatable boat (RIB), not the larger workboats. Planning ensures that all involved, regardless of their experience, are aware of what is expected of them and what to expect of others.
#2 Qualified: On board operations should always be directly supervised or delegated by the vessel’s skipper to ensure that at least one person has a safety overview. It is easy to assume that experienced people know what they are doing, but the team leader was primarily involved in small boat operations and was unaware that he was taking a risk by stepping off the slowly moving workboat.
#3 Equipment: There is usually no warning that you will need personal protective equipment. While it is sometimes hot or uncomfortable to wear, it is designed to save lives or minimize injury. Always make sure PFDs are fitted properly and securely, and with the crotch straps fastened, so that the wearer’s head remains above water if they fall overboard.
#4 Procedure: Bulwark gates should be kept closed unless in use as an open gate poses an unnecessary hazard. On this occasion, keeping the gate closed until the workboat was in position and it was safe to transfer would have avoided this accident.
