Tag: safety measures

Challenges faced and Lessons to be learned Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) has received a report related to lifeboat manuals.Report text:"Recently one of our ships had a potentially serious accident when the lifeboat securing hooks released under load causing the boat to fall. The manufacturers immediately blamed the crew for not reading the instruction manual properly before they last attached the hooks to the lifeboatfalls. Another gripe (no pun intended) I have about lifeboats is that they are just too complicated for ordinary seafarers to use. Even I, who took a university honours degree in Nautical Studies, find the manuals confusing. Lifeboats are responsible for killing more seafarers during practice than they save in emergencies these days (this is not a figure I can prove but Im sure I'm correct) . The manufacturers expect and require that seafarers read and understand every page of their instruction manuals before they launch a lifeboat, even in an emergency.CHIRP CommentThe poor standard of some manuals has been raised repeatedly through reports to CHIRP. Accidents associated with lifeboats are reported too frequently and a lack of familiarity with the equipment is often a factor.Good, clear instructions in a standard format could go some ...

CHIRP has received a report related to a close encounter with a dredger

Safe navigation in the vicinity of designated pilot embarkation / disembarkation areas

CHIRP has received a report related to security/emergency escape conflict

ABS Gathers Expert Guidance for Improving Offshore Equipment Safety

CHIRP has received a report related to crankshaft bearing failures

Challenges faced and Lessons to be learned Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) has received a report related to onboard communications.Report text:"The company employs British masters and I had a good, mixed complement of nine nationalities. I, as master, was the only Brit onboard. Fortunately for us Brits, English remains the language of the sea and my senior officers all spoke it to a greater or lesser degree, even some conversation, while I learned helm orders and a few other important words, l i k e Please and Thank You , etc in other languages."Conducting the required monthly safety meetings was interesting. The second mate and I devised a pantomime, which we would put on to the assembled crew - all hands not on duty - in the crew mess room. Many shipboard accidents are caused by thoughtlessness - leaving a bucket of water near the foot of a ladder, not changing a lamp bulb properly, not roping off newly painted or dangerous places, leaving bits of wood, shackles, all kinds of spare parts lying around the deck for people to trip over - not checking that a lifeboat is safe to lower before you lower it - and so ...

CHIRP has received a report related to garbage disposal

Challenges faced and Lessons to be learned Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) has received a report related to overtaking.Report text:"Vessel was navigating in the Dover Straits; I observed on radar a vessel on my port quarter at a distance of 4.0 nm. I began plotting using ARPA; CPA was 0.0nm. I continued plotting and when it seemed no action was being taken I tried to call on DSC 70 and got no response. At a distance of 1.5nm I managed to contact the vessel, but the OOW told me that I had to alter course to starboard so he could overtake and he would alter course in 10 mins at his waypoint. I told him he had an obligation to me to alter course as he was the overtaking vessel. I then tried to contact Gris Nez Traffic on VHF 13, but then the OOW on the other vessel came on the radio and said he was overtaking and would be clear in 10 mins!!! At this point I had no choice, but to put my helm hard to starboard to avoid a collision. Another near-miss in the Dover Strait by another seemingly inexperienced OOW, with no regard for ...

CHIRP has received a report related to a near grounding occurrence of two container ships.