STEP CHANGE FOR SAFETY GLOBAL SHARING JUL 2013 - THE FIRST 100 STEPS | Page 12

INJURY – BODY S. No. 3 Date 09-Jan-2013 Occurrence 03 - Vessel at Sea in Moderate weather. Vessel rolling Moderately. Crew Member was returning to accommodation for morning Tea Break from Main Deck. While entering the accommodation through the Inner Accommodation Fire door on the Upper deck, Crew Member slipped and hurt himself. He was found lying in excruciating pain in the Alleyway by his fellow crew members who followed him in a couple of minutes later. The injured crew member was assisted to the Hospital on the same deck and administered First Aid and onboard medical assistance after consultation by the Master with the Office as well as seeking Radio Medical Advice. Crew Member was sent ashore to the Doctor at the next Port (2 days after the Incident) and found to have a severe Hamstring Injury which resulted in a LTI and required the Crew Member to be repatriated. He took over 4 weeks for his hamstring to heal and for him to be declared FIT. On investigation it was found that the Crew Member had slipped when he stepped on the Door Mat inside the Inner Accommodation Fire Door on the Upper deck. This happened as the Alleyway Linoleum was well polished resulting in the Door Mat (which was of a Synthetic Material) skidding on the Polished Surface when the Crew Member stepped on the Doormat. The fact that the vessel was Rolling Moderately had also contributed to the Doormat slipping on the Polished Linoleum which caused Crew Member to Slip awkwardly. Type Impact Primary Accident Personnel Severity Impact Secondary Significant Lessons learnt a/ Accommodation decks on Modern Ships have Linoleum laid out instead of the Traditional Cemented Decks or Carpeted Decks. It is a common practice to Polish these Decks to give a Polished, Neat and Clean Look. Door mats of today are typically made out of synthetic materials which do not slip on Cemented or Carpeted decks. b/ On our Fleet now the Area under the Doormats are stripped of Polish and a couple of Strips of Anti-Skid Tape are affixed to the Doormats as well as deck under the Mat. Message to the Industry THIS INCIDENT CAN OCCUR EVEN AT HOME/ YOUR OFFICE OR ANYWHERE WE HAVE MATS/RUGS DEPLOYED OVER HIGHLY POLISHED FLOORS OR TILES. CHECK OUT THE ANY DOORMATS YOU HAVE BY TRYING TO MOVE THEM HOLDING ONTO A SUPPORT. ANCHOR THESE PROPERLY AS AN UNTOWARD SLIP CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. Remarks Submitted by File upload Added Time [email protected] 09-Jan-2013 02:31:08