Serious injury to a crew member, by ship’s crane during operations on a port breakwater

 

Safety Alert: Serious injury to a crew member, by ship’s crane during operations on a port breakwater

 

A general cargo hopper dredger was engaged in the strengthening and lengthening of a port outer breakwater. The vessel’s crane was taking boulders from the cargo hold and placing them in position at the breakwater. The master, who was on duty, went forward to check previously completed maintenance work.  On the way back to the accommodation, he decided to check the status of the cargo hold. While checking the cargo, the crane turned towards the breakwater and trapped the master in between the body of the crane and the hatch coaming. The master sustained serious torso injuries.

 

MSIU has issued four recommendations to the Company aimed at addressing safety on the deck when the crane is in operation.  These included provision of physical barriers; a detailed handover for joining officers; risk assessment addressing operational conditions and ensuring that all crew members can communicate in the determined working language.

 

Please click here for the details

 

We are grateful to the Transport Malta Marine Safety Investigation Unit for providing details.  We acknowledge their commitment to sharing learning to benefit others.  If you have similar operations, please share this information with managers, operatives and any potentially affected third parties as appropriate.  Please also review any of your relevant operations for similar hazardous conditions, risks, and controls.

 

Learning content like this is highly valuable as it is based on real-world experience.  We encourage everyone with publishable information about incidents to send it to us, so that we can raise awareness across the whole industry.  Please contact us at secretariat@ichca.com; sharing your insight could save a life or prevent injury.