Seafarers spend much of their working day wearing head protection, a crucial precaution in an industrial setting where the risk of head injuries is prevalent. Shipowners and operators should provide clear procedures and rules stipulating where and when head protection is necessary, ensuring the seafarers receive the appropriate safety equipment for their roles, free of … Continue reading PRIORITISING HEAD PROTECTION AT SEA

Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) on board passenger ships typically consist of large inflatable life rafts and either an inflatable slide or escape chute. These systems are designed to enable the rapid evacuation of a large number of people without requiring extensive training. The Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention requires that each MES installed … Continue reading MARINE EVACUATION SYSTEM EXERCISES

Internationally the sea fishing sector is recognised as one of the most challenging and hazardous industries to work in, suffering higher rates of fatal and serious accidents when compared to other industries, such as construction and agriculture. Club incident data from 2017 to 2022 showed that 96% of all claims on fishing vessels were crew … Continue reading FISHING VESSEL CLAIMS 2017-2022

The Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention is a cornerstone of maritime safety, setting out essential regulations and standards to ensure the safety of ships and their crews. As a reminder, there are changes to SOLAS coming into force on 1st January 2024, some of the notable changes entering into force include: Safe mooring … Continue reading SOLAS AMENDMENTS: SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA 2024 AMENDMENTS

Adherence to safety guidelines for portable power tools onboard ships is often neglected and this can result in injuries to the eyes, chest, and hands. Unfortunately, some of these injuries have been fatal, despite being avoidable through appropriate precautions during routine maintenance operations involving power tools. The main issues identified are the removal of safety … Continue reading THE SAFE USE OF PORTABLE POWER OPERATED TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT ON BOARD SHIP

The Club continue to see incidents where the use of alcohol or drugs has been a contributing factor. Drug and alcohol abuse is a problem that affects all industries, including shipping. However, the shipping industry can be particularly vulnerable to the problem due to the nature of the work. The long hours, isolation and high-stress … Continue reading DRUG AND ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

The Club’s loss prevention team has been looking into the underlying causes of past collision cases. The number of collision cases is decreasing. This is largely due to the advent of modern technology, such as Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), the Bridge Navigational Watch and Alarm System (BNWAS) and the Electronic Chart Display and Information System … Continue reading COLLISION REGULATIONS

We are now in the last quarter of the year, which means that winter is approaching in the northern hemisphere, bringing with it the risk of severe cold in certain waters. Operating a ship in conditions of ice or extreme cold poses several challenges for the ship itself and for the crew – and if … Continue reading OPERATING A SHIP IN CONDITIONS OF ICE OR EXTREME COLD

Every year, lifeboat accidents continue to happen, with some leading to serious injuries and others even resulting in death. The loss prevention team at Britannia has been investigating lifeboat accidents and noticed that a significant number of these accidents occurred during lifeboat drills or inspections. They also found that there were accidents involving the lifeboat … Continue reading LIFEBOAT DRILLS

The Club has recently experienced several incidents where crew or third parties have lost their grip while using the ship’s pilot ladder, falling into the water or onto the quayside below. Unfortunately these incidents all resulted in fatalities which could have been avoided had the right safety measures been implemented. None of these incidents actually … Continue reading PILOT LADDERS – THE DANGERS INVOLVED

A general cargo vessel ran aground on Sgeir Graidach Shoal in the Little Minch on the west coast of Scotland. Luckily the crew were safely evacuated from the ship by the local coastguard, but the vessel sustained extensive damage and was later declared a constructive total loss. The incident investigation report identified a number of … Continue reading WARNING OF THE DANGERS OF FATIGUE AND POOR BRIDGE PROCEDURES

In an exclusive interview with SAFETY4SEA, Jacob Damgaard, Associate Director, Loss Prevention, Britannia P&I, highlights that the maritime industry will only move forward with close cooperation between industry stakeholders. The interview talks about how crew welfare and setting ambitious environmental targets should be high on the agenda for 2022 as the time to address the … Continue reading SAFETY4SEA INTERVIEW WITH BRITANNIA’S JACOB DAMGAARD

An oil tanker was on passage when the ship’s electrician, who had been working alone, was fatally electrocuted while performing maintenance of the inert gas scrubber electrical system

An AB on board a product tanker suffered severe injuries after falling from a portable ladder while conducting maintenance work on the launching system for the ship’s free-fall lifeboat and later tragically died from his injuries.

The Third Engineer (3/E) on board an anchored capesize bulk carrier was splashed by hot sludge while opening the manhole cover of a settling tank and subsequently died from a septic shock having sustained 2nd degree burns to a large part of his body.

Due to its strict regulations, there may be even more severe consequences for the ship in cases involving stowaways embarking in South Africa. This article provides guidance on additional precautions to be taken when in South African waters.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulation II-2/14 requires maintenance, testing and inspections of fire protection systems and appliances on board to be carried out based on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines, which address the minimum recommended level of maintenance and inspections for the maintenance plan required by SOLAS. … Continue reading MAINTENANCE OF FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT ON BOARD A SHIP: FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, HOSES AND MORE

SOLAS Chapter III Reg. 20 details requirements to be followed by all ships with regard to operational readiness, maintenance and inspections. In this regulation there is a requirement for pre-sailing checks, weekly and monthly checks. Maintenance of survival craft and their launching arrangements should be of the utmost importance to any ship’s operation. However, we … Continue reading RISK WATCH MAINTENANCE SERIES – LSA – STOWAGE, INSPECTION AND CHECKS OF LIFEBOATS AND LIFE RAFTS (SURVIVAL CRAFT)