In its latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB references a case in which the cook used an unsuitable gyro pan for deep frying, and a malfunctioning thermostat caused the oil to overheat and ignite, leading to a fire and severe injuries.
A cook on an offshore support vessel was frying fish in a gyro pan filled with oil. Unbeknown to the cook, the pan’s thermostat was defective. The oil overheated, started smoking, and then ignited shortly afterwards. The cook activated the fixed wet chemical fire-extinguishing system. As the wet chemical filled the gyro pan, the burning oil spilled onto the galley deck, covering the cook’s legs and feet in boiling oil.
The cook collapsed to the deck in agony, shouting for help. The cook’s screams were heard by a passing able seaman, who ran into the galley and dragged the cook out of the pool of hot oil. The wet chemical successfully extinguished the fire in the pan but made a mess of the galley and severely injured the cook. The electric supply to the gyro pan was isolated, and the oil was left to cool in the pan before being removed. The cook was airlifted to hospital and treated for burns.
Lessons learned
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Equipment → The cook routinely used the gyro pans to fry fish because the galley’s two deep fat fryers took a long time to heat up and required a lot of oil. However, a gyro pan is unsuitable for deep fat frying due to the risk of oil splashing or spilling over its shallow sides. Always use equipment for its intended design purpose and in line with manufacturer’s guidance.
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Monitor → Safety devices such as thermostats can malfunction, leading to unsafe situations if solely relied upon. It is crucial to check and maintain equipment and closely monitor high-risk activities to prevent escalation. If an appliance becomes hotter than expected, report it to and have it tested by technical staff.
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Risk → The activation of the fixed firefighting system above the pan caused hot oil to spill over the shallow sides when the wet chemical was deployed. Emergency systems might not function as expected when used with incorrectly chosen equipment, potentially leading to severe consequences.
