IMCA reports of an incident involving unsafe positioning during berthing.
What happened?
On a vessel approaching the jetty for berthing, the crew took their positions for mooring operations. While the vessel was approximately 3m from the jetty, an AB at the stern stepped out to the very edge of the main deck near the bitts to get a clearer view of the distance between the vessel and the jetty, and putting himself at risk of falling overboard between the vessel and the quay.
How did it happen?
- The crew had no clear visibility of what was happening, and one of them put himself at risk to get a better view.
- There was no barrier to prevent crew members standing at the edge of the deck.
- The crew member may not have realised the full risks involved in standing at the deck’s edge while the vessel was in motion.
What lessons can be learnt?
People will sometimes put themselves at risk in order to do a good job.
- Take the time to think things through – putting yourself at risk to get the job done, solves nothing. Is there a better way in this case to get the visibility needed?
- A clear chain of command and effective communication can reduce the need for individual crew members to take unnecessary risks.
- Is there a way to allow better visibility of what is happening during mooring? How can we make it easy to do things safely?
- Barriers help to mitigate risks.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free Click here to Subscribe!
Source: IMCA
