A loose wire sling nearly caused a crew member to fall off a gangway. The Nautical Institute discusses this incident in one of its latest Mars Reports to draw attention to hidden hazards and the importance of visual contact between a crane operator and a signaler.
The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. A summary of this incident:
A tanker was portside to at a dock and crew were installing the portable gangway. Once the gangway was in place between the ship and the dock, a crew member walked to the middle of the gangway and removed the four wire slings, motioning to the crane operator to heave up the rigging, which was connected to a single lifting ring.
During the lift, one of the loose slings became entangled between the steps of the gangway resulting in its sudden movement. The crew member immediately signalled to the crane operator to cease heaving, which he did. The wire sling was removed from the step and the slings were recovered without further issue.
Advice from The Nautical Institute
- Even the most common, banal tasks can harbour hidden hazards. Vigilance and attention to detail are your best defenses against unwanted consequences.
- Good visual contact between a crane operator and the signaler is always a best practice.
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202055, that are part of Report Number 336. A selection of this Report has also been published in SWZ|Maritime’s November 2020 issue. The Nautical Institute compiles these reports to help prevent maritime accidents. That is why they are also published on SWZ|Maritime’s website.
More reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are read only by the Mars coordinator and are treated in the strictest confidence. To submit a report, please use the Mars report form.
Picture: One of the loose slings became entangled between the steps of the gangway.
