STEP CHANGE FOR SAFETY GLOBAL SHARING SEP 2013 - PILOT LADDERS | Page 6

GLOBAL SHARING MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
SEAFARER DEATH AFTER FALLING IN FROZEN WATER
CARISMA had been on a voyage from Slite to Roenne to take a cargo of sand. The ship arrived at Roenne on 25 January 2011 at 2200. As the loading operation was planned to commence the next morning, it was decided not to rig the gangway until visitors were expected. Half an hour after arrival, a part of the crew left the ship to go ashore. Instead of rigging the gang-way they used a pilot ladder that they rigged on the ship side. Shortly after having arrived at the town centre, one of the crew members felt tired and returned to the ship. At 0020 on 26 of January 2012, the seaman was observed struggling in the water between the ship and the quay. Within ten minutes the seaman was safe, but he died later that night at the hospital in Roenne.

The Accident took place between 0015 and 0020, the chief officer went on deck to check the discharge of ballast water. When he came on deck, he heard an unfamiliar sound coming from the water. Immediately he got hold of a torchlight and got a glimpse of the seaman who was struggling in the water between the quay and the ship’s side approximately 1.5 metres from the pilot ladder. The seaman was stuck under one of the fenders. The chief officer managed to get hold of the seaman and tie a rope around him and by help of the police the seaman was dragged out of the water and onto the quay. Approximately 10 minutes passed from the first observation of the seaman in the water until he was hauled out of the water. The DMA investigation report makes the following conclusions regarding the accident ? At that time the crew left, discharge of ballast had just begun. When the seaman returned to the ship, the steps of the pilot ladder had been raised one meter due to discharge of ballast. For this reason and because the distance between the quay side and the ship’s side was 80 centimeters, it became considerably more difficult to step onto the pilot ladder. ? On the day of the accident, the temperature was below the freezing point. This circumstance made the quay slippery as it was covered with patches of ice. This may have caused the seaman to slip and fall into the water.. ? Arriving at the ship, the seaman had a blood alcohol concentration of at least 2.85 ‰. In general, such a concentration causes severe motor impairment. ? The use of the pilot ladder instead of the gangway had over time resulted in a non-realized increase of risks; risks such as slippery quay surfaces, variable distances between the quay and ship’s side, and the changed position of the pilot ladder due to changes in the displacement.

20 September 2013

A Shell Marine Contractors Safety Initiative

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