Too hot to handle

Inexperienced personnel must be briefed and properly supervised

Too hot to handle UK MAIB has published its first issue of its Safety Digest earlier this year including lessons learned from maritime accidents. One case highlights that any work on a pressure vessel needs to be properly considered and planned. As a minimum, inexperienced personnel must be briefed and properly supervised. Time served on board does not always equate to relevant experience.

The Accident

The fourth engineer nearing the end of his first contract on board a container ship was nominated to work on the auxiliary boiler. The task required him to check the water level inside the boiler (the sight glass was broken) and to see if the water was contaminated with oil. The fourth engineer had not completed the task previously. He wore a pair of cotton gloves, a long sleeved boiler suit and safety boots.

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To complete the job, the access cover on the boiler top had to be removed. The cover was heavy so the fourth engineer connected a block and chain arrangement to lift it. He then loosened the cover’s securing bolts while standing on a step ladder. As he did so, hot steam rose through the cover’s seal. The fourth engineer donned a pair of leather gloves over the cotton gloves to protect him from the heat and then continued to loosen the bolts.

Once the bolts were loosened, the fourth engineer raised the cover clear of the boiler top by pulling on the chain block. However, due to the angle of the chain block and the cover’s size and shape, he had to guide and lift it manually. During this process, one of the securing bolts snagged on the underside of the boiler opening. This took the engineer by surprise and he let go of the cover’s handle. Unfortunately, the hook securing the chain block to the cover’s handle was also dislodged and the cover fell back towards the boiler opening. As the fourth engineer tried to grab the cover, his left hand went through the boiler opening into the boiling water. The cover also dropped into the boiler.

The fourth engineer suffered second degree burns . After receiving firstaid treatment on board, he was landed to a hospital ashore and was later repatriated home.

An onboard investigation into the accident discovered that no assessment or permit to work had been completed. The investigation concluded that the water inside the boiler was still hot because the steam valves had not been isolated.

Lessons learnt

Many tasks on board a ship require permits to work. If these are not issued, the risk assessment and precautionary measures identified, such as system isolations, are likely to be overlooked. Permits to work are lifesavers – they are not just a paperwork exercise. The time invested is time well spent.
This job was clearly too much for one individual alone – it involved a heavy lift and working at height. Do make a proper appraisal of the resources and equipment needed before commencing any task.

Source: UK MAIB