As UK MAIB reports in its most recent Safety Digest, in the early hours of the morning a dredger was heading into port to discharge cargo and some equipment and the crew were woken to prepare the vessel for berthing.
The incident
The bosun and the deckhand discussed the plan to use the deck crane to offload equipment once the vessel was tied up. The bosun thought he had lots of time in hand so ecided to prepare a 0.5t sheave, which was due to be lifted ashore from a void space. He removed the lashings that were securing the sheave vertically against some pipework and started to roll it toward the port side hatch in readiness for offload. The bosun was manoeuvring the sheave past some oil drums when he lost control and the sheave toppled over, struck his thigh and then trapped him under its weight.
In considerable pain, the bosun managed to raise the alarm using his handheld radio. The crew mustered quickly, lifted the sheave off his leg and administered first aid. The dredger arrived at its berth and the bosun was transferred by ambulance to hospital, where he received treatment for multiple fractures to his leg. He was unable to return to work for several months.
Lessons learned
Plan: The sheave was heavy and over 1m in diameter. It was not stowed in an authorised location and the crew had no lifting plan in place to move it across the space. The sheave was unwieldy and required careful thought to move it safely despite it being easy to roll. The bosun was unaware of the weight of the sheave and had underestimated the risks and hazards involved in both its removal and relocation.
Teamwork: It can be very tempting to just crack on with a task rather than bother other people. Aside from mutual support and help should something go wrong, a second person can ask questions, highlight risks and challenge the plan. A thorough job done well may feel less efficient at times but can help minimise risks and reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, the effects of which may last a lifetime.
