Operating and passing through power-operated watertight doors remain one of the most overlooked yet potentially fatal hazards on board ships, Gard Club highlights.
As explained by Gard, watertight doors are critical safety barriers, designed to maintain a vessel’s stability and buoyancy in the event of flooding. However, their power and closing speed can pose a serious threat to crew members, especially when procedures are misunderstood, ignored, or bypassed.
Investigations into accidents reveal a clear pattern:
- Crew members often attempt to pass through doors before they are fully open, sometimes while carrying items that prevent safe operation of control levers.
- In some cases, the master mode switch on the bridge is left in “DOORS CLOSED” mode following drills, causing doors to close automatically and unexpectedly when the local handle is released.
- Audible alarms and warning signals may go unnoticed in high-noise environments, and posted instructions are sometimes unclear or not easily visible.
- Technical inspections have identified cases where doors close faster than regulations allow.
Furthermore, crew members have suffered severe injuries, including crushed limbs, and there have also been fatalities when crew have been caught in closing doors. In a recent case handled by Gard, a crew member lost their life after being trapped by a sliding watertight door.
An additional aspect is that on most vessels there is a safer alternative route available, but to save time, crew will sometimes take the shorter route through power operated watertight doors, increasing the risk of accidents.
Key recommendations
- Always open watertight doors fully before passing through. Never attempt to squeeze through a moving door.
- Keep both hands free to operate the controls on each side of the door. Avoid carrying heavy loads that compromise your ability to control the door safely.
- Be acutely aware of the master mode switch setting. In “DOORS CLOSED” mode, doors will close automatically if the handle is released, and the risk of injury is greatly increased.
- Treat audible alarms and warning lights with respect. They signal real danger.
- Ensure all crew are properly trained in the daily operation and emergency procedures for watertight doors and participate in regular drills.
- Maintain doors and control systems in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, and ensure operating instructions are clearly posted and visible at every door.