Marine Accident Investigation Branch Safety Digest 2/2005 Case 21

Elevated Work, Elevated Risks

Narrative
It was a very pleasant day, which provided the opportunity to carry out routine maintenance on board a UK flagged trawler. Some of the crew were working aft on the trawl wires, the skipper was in the wheelhouse and the chief engineer was on the main deck. The engineer noticed that the port main deck floodlight situated on the 4 metre high platform (Figure 1) between the forward masts had a “crazed” glass. This was not unusual; a combination of the hot glass and cold sea spray had caused this before, and the engineer was accustomed to changing the glass.

Having obtained a new glass, the engineer climbed the ladder to the platform. He was wearing safety shoes, but no other personal protection equipment. He was not wearing a safety harness, although six were on board and all were in date for test. The engineer informed nobody that he was going aloft.

The engineer accessed the platform through an unguarded gap in the guardrails (Figure 2). The platform (Figure 3) was wet, did not have a nonslip finish and contained several tripping hazards. He stepped over these, knelt down and rotated the floodlight to remove the damaged glass.

The next thing the engineer recalls was a helicopter hovering overhead preparing to transfer him to hospital.

From the subsequent investigation, it was clear that the glass had been replaced and that the floodlight was returned to its original position. The engineer then either stepped back through the guardrail gap, or fell from the mast ladder onto the wheelhouse roof, landing on his back and cutting his head. No one saw him fall, although the skipper heard him land on the wheelhouse roof.

Sadly, this accident resulted in the engineer severing the lower part of his spinal cord.

Figure 1: General view from stern

Figure 2: Port ladder and access showing ungarded gap

Figure 3: Port side of the platform

The Lessons
While we cannot be sure whether the lack of a non-slip finish, or the open guardrail contributed to this accident, the following lessons should be learned from this tragicaccident:
1. Safety harnesses or other restraining devices must always be used when working aloft in accordance with the Code for Safe Working Practices. There should be no exceptions to this rule.
2. Safety chains should be fitted to open accesses in guardrails. If they have to be removed to gain access, they should be re-instated immediately.
3. A non-slip finish should be applied to hazardous working deck areas, or where risk assessments have identified there is a risk to personnel.
4. When working aloft, crew should tell others of their intentions, and they should be aware of any potential hazards.
5. Risk assessments should be conducted where personnel are exposed to dangerous or unusual activities.