Archive for 'Accident' Category
ECDIS: Assumptions and Misplaced Confidence
The UK’s MAIB have today published the latest edition of their excellent Safety Digest, issue 2/2012. You can download it from here, and I can highly recommend it. The document follows the standard format for these publications, with anonymised accident report summaries followed by easily digested safety lessons that can be learnt from each incident. [...]
Costa Concordia – Human Element Part III
I’ve received an interesting submission on the continuing debate over the Costa Concordia incident, and specifically the behaviour of Captain Schettino. The author, Nick Young, is an ex-Radio Officer who served on a number of merchant and cruise vessels. Nick’s suggestion of a ‘super-numerary Captain’, distanced from events but ready to take command should the [...]
Costa Concordia – Human Element Part II
In the interests of editorial balance following my post yesterday on this subject, there is an interesting article on the gCaptain website that puts forward an alternative viewpoint on the behaviour of Captain Schettino. “The only fact that is certain in the Costa Concordia disaster is the universal truth of all maritime disasters… human mistakes [...]
Costa Concordia – the Human Element.
The following article is taken directly from ‘The Ship Repair Newsletter’ (No: 1389), published weekly by A&A Thorpe (shipaat@aol.com) . The opinion expressed is close to my own feelings on the subject, hence my decision to publish the text: “The Costa Concordia has been on her side against the Italian island of Giglio for about [...]
Another lifeboat incident …
The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) have released a report into the incident onboard the Volendam in January 2011, in which a crew member sadly lost their life. “On the afternoon of 8 January 2011, the passenger vessel Volendam was alongside in Lyttelton. Some of the crew were carrying out routine maintenance on [...]
Making sure your children have fun safely this summer …
There is a point to this whether you’re a parent, you’re in maritime H&S or you’re otherwise responsible for safety and ‘risk assessment’ … Background While I’m not a parent myself, I’m ’Uncle Chris’ to some wonderful children and I know that there are few things better than seeing a child having fun and being happy, which makes something [...]
Overhead Powerlines?
Overhead powerlines are rarely an issue in the world of maritime safety, but this particular video is too good not to share. I think you’ll agree that this clearly demonstrates the dangers of working near any live electrical source, not just overhead power lines. While we concentrate on maritime safety here at Walport, this is [...]
The MAIB release a Safety Bulletin relating to fast rescue craft safety
Following from my earlier post regarding the unfortunate accident involving the Tombarra the MAIB have released a safety bulletin relating to the incident. The bulletin highlights the concerns of the MAIB over the weight of the fast rescue craft involved in the accident, and the fact that other similar boats are likely to be affected. The [...]
Lifeboat Drill Accident
A recent accident at Royal Portbury Docks, Bristol highlights the dangers of Lifeboat Drills. Three crew members were injured and a fourth died, after their lifeboat apparently fell 30m to the sea while it was being recovered to MV Tombarra following a lifesaving drill. The exact circumstances are unknown, but it is believed that a [...]
Heavy lift accident
The video below shows all too graphically what can happen if heavy lifts are undertaken without sufficient planning. I don’t have any details of the exact cause of the accident, but if heavy lifting is in your list of ‘things to do’, you can probably work it out for yourself. I’m assuming someone got the [...]