Investigation report cites probable causes of fatal fall from height on bulk carrier in Syros, Greece
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its report on its investigation into an incident that claimed the life of a crewmember on a commercial vessel on Syros island in Greece on April 17, 2023.
Summary
On the said date, a crewmember on the Cayman Islands-registered bulk carrier Equinox Seas was fatally injured when he fell 10 metres down an open ventilation trunk where a fan had been removed for maintenance.
The ship was at ONEX Syros Shipyards' facility on Syros, approximately 50 nautical miles southeast of Athens, for a period of scheduled maintenance when the mishap occurred.
Safety issues
The barrier controls in place in the fan room were insufficient to mitigate the risk of falling from height.
he specific risks associated with the fan removal had not been assessed or mitigated, which put staff at risk from those hazards.
Safety on board Equinox Seas was not effectively managed during the entire stay at the shipyard.
Ineffective communication and coordination between the shipyard and ship’s staff meant that deficiencies of safety management were not addressed.
Relevant industry guidance on the management of safety in a shipyard was not incorporated into the working practices of the shipyard.
The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers did not contain any guidance related to the risks created or amplified on ships in a shipyard environment.
Recommendations
A recommendation has been made to ONEX Syros Shipyards to update its safety management system to ensure that risks created by the work carried out by its workers are effectively managed and coordinated with a ship’s crew and that the responsibility for safety is clearly understood between all parties.
