Not all hazards are obvious at first glance. Conditions such as limited lighting and compromised footing can increase risk and make hazards more difficult to recognise, the American Club highlights in the latest instalment of its Good Catch series.
Taking a few moments to assess the work environment before starting a task can help prevent injuries, falls overboard and other incidents that may have lasting consequences for seafarers. Identifying potential hazards early and addressing them before work begins can make a critical difference in keeping everyone on board safe.
Against this backdrop, the American Club highlights a case in which a deckhand on an inland towing vessel fell overboard while working in a barge fleeting area.
Incident
In a barge fleeting area while the crew was building a tow of 20 barges, a deckhand on an inland towing vessel slipped from a barge and fell overboard. Fortunately, he was rescued by other crew members using a ring buoy with an attached lifeline.
Several hopper barges recently loaded with sand were being added to the tow. While walking along the side of one of the barges and carrying a ratchet, the deckhand fell overboard. He later explained that his right foot likely caught the edge of a void hatch cover that he didn’t see, and then, when attempting to catch his balance, his left foot slipped on the sand that had accumulated on the deck.
He fell hard and went directly overboard along with the ratchet. The incident happened just after midnight. Of additional note, the deckhand had only seven months of industry experience, all of which had been onboard this towing vessel on a 28-day rotation.
Actual damage
The deckhand was taken to a local hospital and evaluated. He was bruised in several places but was able to return to the towing vessel and continue working. The medical evaluation and treatment cost approximately $3,700 plus almost $1,000 for the lost ratchet.
More significantly, the fall overboard impacted the deckhand so much that when his hitch was over a few days later, he quit the job and left the industry altogether.
Potential damage
This fall overboard could have been fatal. The deckhand was fortunate that the other crew members were alert and witnessed him fall, allowing them to respond quickly. He was also fortunate that the current did not drag him under a barge, where he could have drowned, despite wearing a work vest.
What went wrong?
- The risk factors for this deckhand were not fully assessed and mitigated.
- He had less than a year of experience in the industry, so he had only a limited understanding of the specific hazards.
- He was working at night, and lighting was limited. The existing lighting cast dark shadows, especially around the coaming of the hopper barges.
- The barge decks had not been checked and swept clear of loose sand, thereby leaving a slipping hazard unmitigated.
- The specific risks and hazards on that specific day and time had not been identified, discussed, or mitigated by the mate and deckhands before the work began.
Those hazards identified should have included:
- The loose sand on the decks of the barges;
- The limited lighting, and;
- The time of day and any fatigue concerns.
- Data from a recent survey by the American Waterways Operators indicates that falls overboard are more likely to happen to deckhands in their first year of work, at night, and from a barge vice the towing vessel. They are also most likely to be caused by slip, trip, and fall hazards.
When you identify a hazard before something goes wrong… it’s a Good Catch.
When you stop an operation before something bad happens… it’s a Good Catch.
When you make the time to assess the specific risks of a fall overboard from a barge and mitigate them… that’s a Good Catch, too!