Forth Guardsman Mooring Fatality – Remember Basic Safety

Accident, Accident report, maritime safety news, mooring

Sep 072011

Standing on a bight led to being crushed against the ship's rail

Mooring accidents are often nasty accidents. Enormous energies built up in mooring wires can be released suddenly and unexpectedly and the result may be death or horrific injury. As the fatality aboard the landingcraft Forth Guardman on March this year demonstrates, safety awareness is at a premium in mooring operations.

Says the investigation report from the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Board, MAIB: “an
able seaman (AB) working on board the Briggs Marine Contractors Limited (BMC) landing craft Forth Guardsman, became trapped between a mooring wire and the ship’s rail during a mooring
operation. The weight on the wire could not be released quickly enough, and the AB was pulled over the guardrail and into the sea: he was recovered, but died from his injuries.

“The investigation found that insufficient manpower had been assigned for the mooring operation, some risks had not been identified properly, seamanship practices on board were poor, the AB had stood in an open bight which closed around him, and emergency communication procedures were
inadequate.

BMC conducted its own safety investigation and as a result is undertaking a number of actions to
prevent a reoccurrence. In light of these actions the MAIB has not made any recommendations”

MAIB Report