Capt. Toru Asai

General Manager of Loss Prevention & Ship Inspection Department

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This column features the article contributed by our Association to "Mariners' Digest Vol.77", published in April 2025 by the Japan Shipping Exchange, Inc.

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Highlights

• Seafarers responsible for maritime transportation are typically marine technicians with a high level of expertise in vessel operation and cargo management. They play vital roles and bear significant responsibilities.


• Vessel crews work day and night in a high-risk environment, far from their families for extended periods. They perform many dangerous operations where failure to follow proper practices could cost lives.

1. Introduction

Vessels are subject to various risks whilst navigating at sea. For example, encounters with stormy weather, hull damage, capsizing, collisions while navigating congested waters, and bottom contact or grounding accidents, fires in engine rooms and cargo holds. As a matter of fact, the crew working on such risky vessels are also exposed to high risks day and night, and it can be said that they share a common destiny.

Companies responsible for the safety management of vessels have formulated safety management manuals in accordance with the SOLAS ISM Code.Based on the basic policy of "ensuring the safety of human life, the safety of vessels in operation, and the protection of the environment," they have formulated and implemented work procedure manuals.

Among the basic policies, the safety of human life must be the most important. In the unlikely event that life is lost, it will be irretrievable, so it is the wish of the families waiting for their return that seafarers avoid accidents and that the crew on board can safely return home after completing their contracts, and it must be given the highest priority.

It is said that about 70-80% of accidents are caused by human error. Most of the work involves people, and accidents often occur due to a chain of human error. There are some vessels that are highly automated, such as with programmed sequences, but at present, the majority of work is done by human hands, so it is difficult to completely eliminate human error.

2. The key to preventing accidents is to follow the basics

In a word, the way to prevent occupational accidents among crew members is "following the basics." If there is a work procedure in the company's safety management manual, follow it strictly. If an operation without a procedure is planned (new work or special operations that is not routine), fi rst conduct a risk assessment to identify the risks, eliminate or reduce the risks, and then create a work plan. Clarify the division of roles for each crew member, means and methods of communication, emergency response, etc. All crew members involved must be familiar with the contents of the work plan in advance. Once the operations plan is complete, it is a good idea to hold a meeting and simulate the work flow. All that remains is to carry out the work plan according to the plan.

3. Prevention of Crew Accidents: Examples and Measures

First of all, we would like to introduce examples of accidents related to operations on deck department.

[Case 1] A crew member’s fingers got caught between hatch covers resulting in tip amputation.

Vessel Type : Wood Chip Carrier

Accident Summary

• This accident happened when the deck crew were opening the hatch covers on arrival at the loading port.
• When opening the hatch covers of No.5 cargo hold, the OS (ordinary seaman) had his right hand on the rest pad on the aft hatch cover and got his fingers caught.
• The OS was standing by in order to put in the locking pin when the hatch covers were fully opened, but had placed his hand on the rest pad by mistake.

Accident Prevention Measures

Opening and closing hatch covers is a high-risk operation in terms of moving large and heavy hatch covers. Work supervisors (duty officers, deck masters, etc.) should always be aware of their surroundings and keep the crew away from the hatch covers that open and close. The crew themselves should be fully aware of the risks and stay back from the hatch cover, and not approach the hatch cover until it is fully open or closed and has stopped moving.

[Case 2] Mooring line hit the back of the knee, causing arterial injury.

Vessel Type : Bulk Carrier

Accident Summary

• The Second Officer and The Deck Crew were adjusting the tension of mooring lines during loading operation.
• When adjusting the tension of mooring lines at the stern, the vessel moved back and forth and at that point, one of the aft spring lines snapped.
• The snapped line hit an AB (able seaman) in the back of the knee and caused bleeding.

Accident Prevention Measures

There are frequent personal injury accidents during mooring operations. When the mooring line is subjected to a tension exceeding the breaking force, it may break, and the bouncing mooring line may hit the crew. When adjusting the tension of the mooring lines, the crew should use the mooring winch properly and take care not to apply excessive tension to a particular mooring line. They should also refrain from standing in a place where there is the possibility of snap back from the rope so that they do not get hit directly by the bouncing mooring line in the unlikely event that it is cut.

[Case 3] Due to waves caused by other vessels, water surged, causing the spring line to snap and hit the portable gangway. The Third Officer, standing nearby, was hit by the collapsed gangway and fractured his right arm and leg.

Vessel Type : Chemical Tanker

Accident Summary

• Occurred during unloading at the tanker jetty on riverbank.
• The Third Officer was standing on the quay by the portable gangway at the aft.
• Due to the sailing waves of two other vessels navigating in the middle of the river, the bow side of the vessel moved away from the jetty.
• A forward spring line snapped and hit the portable gangway, and the collapsed gangway hit The Third Officer.

Accident Prevention Measures

Chemical tankers sometimes use the portable gangway instead of equipped gangways on their ships. The portable gangway placed on the side of the ship is lashed with ropes to prevent it from falling or moving, but in this case, it moved and led to injuries to the crew. The root cause was that the mooring line tension of the ship was not properly adjusted. While a ship is moored at the jetty, all mooring lines should always have the proper tension. The crew must also make sure that the portable gangway is lashed so that it does not move.

[Case 4] The Deck Cadet fell from a height of 3 metres off a vertical ladder inside the cargo hold and fractured his right arm.

Vessel Type : Bulk Carrier

Accident Summary

• During navigation, The Deck Cadet was climbing down a vertical ladder on the forward side in the cargo hold. He fell from a height of 3 meters onto the platform below.
• As he put his right hand on the platform, he fractured his right arm between the shoulder and elbow.

Accident Prevention Measures

There is a risk of falling when working in a cargo hold. In this case, the crew member fell down a vertical ladder while going down. Vertical ladders become slippery when they are wet due to condensation. When going up or down vertical ladders, it is recommended to take safety precautions such as wearing a harness.

[Case 5] Fatal accidents due to lack of oxygen in enclosed space (cargo holds)

Vessel Type : Bulk Carrier (Log carrier)

Accident Summary

• While loading a cargo of logs at the 2nd port, The Chief Officer and The Bosun went to check the bilge water accumulated at the bottom of the No.5 cargo hold, which was full of logs loaded at the 1st port.
• The Bosun advised The Chief Officer that it was better not to enter because the smell was not good at the entrance of the No.5 cargo hold.
• The Chief Officer said "It's okay" at the entrance to the No. 5 cargo hold and went down the ladder, and after descending 5~6 steps, he lost consciousness and fell from the ladder onto the cargo below.
• The Bosun informed a nearby deck crew that The Chief Officer had fallen down a ladder in the No.5 cargo hold, and he left the scene to retrieve the ropes for rescue.
• The deck crew saw the unconscious and collapsed Chief Officer from the entrance to the hold, and went into the hold to rescue him.
• The deck crew also lost consciousness and fell from the ladder onto the cargo below.

Accident Prevention Measures

When entering enclosed spaces, there is a risk of oxygen deficiency accidents. Although this incident occurred in the cargo hold, the crew of the vessels transporting dry cargo may not be aware that the cargo hold is also one of enclosed spaces. Spaces that are not adequately ventilated, including cargo holds, must be considered enclosed spaces and the necessary measures must be taken to prevent injuries caused by oxygen deficiency or toxic gases. Precautions include preparing and always following enclosed spaces entry procedures, always ventilating and detecting gases before entering enclosed spaces, requiring permission from the master to enter enclosed spaces, regularly educating and training the crew on entering enclosed spaces, and the company confirming the correct execution of enclosed space entry procedure and the proficiency of the crew in internal audits.

4. Summary of Accident Prevention Measures for the deck department

Accidents are common on deck during entering port/leaving port, as well as during cargo operations. These often involve mooring lines, tug lines, and pilot ladders during arrival and departure, and risks like falls into holds, oxygen deficiency in tanks, and pinch points during cargo handling.

For example, when berthing, The Chief Officer, who is responsible for the forward station, must give appropriate instructions to the crew while keeping an eye on the entire work area. If any crew member is preparing the next rope in the snap-back zone of the first mooring line sent to the berth without noticing that excessive tension is being applied to the first line, it is the most important job to move them to a safe place immediately.

In our next column “Preventing Seafarers’ Personal Injury (No.2)”, we will talk about seafarer accidents relating to the work of the engine department and, also provide some comprehensive tips for preventing seafarers’ personal injury accidents to seafarers.