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INCIDENTS IN THE FLEET
Volume 50, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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ASSUMPTION, THE MOTHER OF ALL ….!
A contractor discovered, much to their surprise, that while they were water blasting the side of a ship, water had entered the ship via an overboard discharge outlet. Although the overboard discharge covers had been originally installed some weeks before, the contractor had wrongly assumed that they were still in place. Unfortunately, someone had decided to remove the covers in a possible attempt to improve ventilation.
Don’t ever assume that things are always the way you left them or expect them to be. Chances are that they won’t be and you could save yourself from a lot of grief and embarrassment by taking a few moments to check that your assumptions are correct. You wouldn’t forget to check your spare tyre before commencing a long drive, (or would you?).
MISSING A COIL OF ROPE
Did you know that failure to secure a load (regardless of the distance travelled) while driving a vehicle is not only a hazard, but is also against the law if using public roads? In the eyes of the law, not having suitable restraints available is no excuse and can result in a fine.
A sailor recently learnt why when their load moved about in the back of a utility because it was not properly secured. While transporting coils of rope to a lay-apart store, the unsecured top coil of rope fell from the vehicle and onto the road. Although there was no reported damaged caused by this incident, if the police were present at the time, it may have damaged their wallet.
IF IT’S WRONG SAY SOMETHING!
How many times have you walked past a working sailor who wasn’t wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), or wasn’t wearing it correctly? Did you say anything to them? We are at times preoccupied with our own thoughts, or think we are too busy to say anything; however, it is at least our moral and if we are a supervisor, our legal obligation not just to say something, but to do something about it.
Recently, a sailor was performing a simple cleaning task using a slightly caustic cleaning agent when they complained of an irritation to their eyes. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) recommended that splash proof goggles and gloves be worn when using the cleaning agent. So why weren’t they? The sailor performing the routine clean was inexperienced but they were also being supervised. Fortunately, the person supervising did react quickly and assisted with the flushing of the victim’s eyes with water.
We can’t afford to trivialise these types of incidents or accept them as the cost of doing business. Proper supervision and having the courage to say when something is wrong can reduce the chance of these incidents reoccurring. |
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