201512 Broken gear deals a KO blow

Stevedores were securing containers on board a vessel with chain slings. During the securing of one container, the chain broke at the hook and hit a stevedore on the head. The stevedore’s helmet took the brunt
of the impact and was cracked in the process. The victim was treated with stitches and had to take 11 days medical leave.

During the investigation the Master was asked to show the schedule of inspection/maintenance of the lashing equipment but none was available.

Lessons learned
* Although inspecting chains and lashing equipment is an arduous task, it must be done and proper records kept on board.
* Fortunately, the stevedore had his protective helmet on – yet still received stitches and many days of recuperative leave. Imagine the injury and lost time had he not had his helmet.
* The contributor of this report suggests that one way inspection and maintenance of such gear on busy vessels can be adequately carried out is by leaving it to properly trained personnel at a shore workshop.
Readers with experience in this area who would like to share their best practices with others are invited to send their comments to [email protected].