Tripping over towing wire during mooring operations
Initial Report
Report Text:
During mooring operation the 2nd officer in charge at aft mooring station tripped on the aft towing wire that is permanently deployed from storage drum to aft chock. No warning marking to draw attention existed for this obstruction on deck. The underlying cause was the lack of proper marking
Lessons Learned: Permanent fittings which may cause obstruction and which may be dangerous should be marked Black and Yellow alternate stripes to draw attention. Where necessary, warning notices should be posted or some Head-height obstructions may need to be padded. Master to discuss the above during next SCM and request the crew to inspect more carefully the ship’s compartments having in mind the above and report to their supervisors proposals for improvement.
CHIRP Comment
Company superintendents should ensure the warning marks are in place and maintained. The risks of falls onto steel decks can be seen in a recent IMCA Flash 14/14 in which a crewmember tripped, lost balance and fell forwards, hitting the deck. He instinctively raised his arms in an attempt to lessen the impact of the fall, which resulted in him sustaining two broken elbows.
