201525 Moving gantry causes serious injury

While in port, several cargo hold hatch cover pontoons had to be shifted from forward to aft. An officer was operating the hatch cover gantry crane and a deck crew member was standing nearby, but at one point the crew member was not within the field of view of the operating officer. It appears that the crew member was standing with his back to the oncoming gantry, so he did not see the gantry nor the flashing warning lights to indicate its operation. Additionally, the noise of the port may have drowned out the ringing of the gantry alarm.

The crew member’s coverall became stuck on the leg of the gantry and pulled his left hand and arm between the gantry crane leg and the structure of the cargo crane. The crew member’s left arm was severed at the elbow and the remaining tissue badly mangled. He was transported to a local hospital where the remaining part of his arm was surgically removed.

The company investigation determined, among other things, that safety is not achieved through rules and procedures alone but also depends on the actual actions of people.

Some of the solutions brought forward were:

• Clear ‘danger area’ paint markings could be applied at the forward part and aft part of each crane base (black and yellow stripes with letters reading ‘danger area’ for example).
• On the port side of the gantry crane, a horizontal nylon cord could be installed at a height of about 120 cm from the main deck, connected by means of an electrical switch to the emergency gantry stop.
• A fish eye camera could be installed on the port side of the hatch cover gantry crane, including a display at the operation unit of the crane. The operator would then have a clear view on the port side area of the crane.