MAIB report urges caution against complacency
The tug 'Flying Phantom' capsized while towing a bulk carrier along the River Clyde in foggy conditions.
In the 2008 Annual Report of the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch, the Chief Inspector refers to the dictionary definition of the word complacency. Rather than implying smugness or self satisfaction it is used by the MAIB to reflect the natural human consequences resulting from familiarity with a task or operation.
As well as comparing accident trends the report also highlights a number of areas of concern and activities the MAIB are involved in. Enclosed space fatalities continue to feature in investigations which is an issue indentified also by the Marine Accident Investigators’ International Forum illustrating the desire for this particular problem to be dealt with at an international level. There is continuing concern about the number of accidents that reveal vessels in short sea trades operating with insufficient crew manifesting itself through incidences of fatigue. In one incident an officer of the watch had been asleep for over 3 hours before his vessel ran aground. It was recommended that the Department for Transport and the MCA urge IMO take action at an international level and also take action unilaterally.
The tragic loss of three lives with the sinking of the tug Flying Phantom resulted in a major review of the Port Marine Safety Code with a Guide to Good Practice for ports being produced.
2008 saw the publication of the Fishing Vessel Safety Study, an 18 month project prompted by the worrying statistic that the fatal accident rate for UK fishermen in the decade 1996-2005 was 115 times higher than that of the general workforce in Great Britain, with no discernable reduction in the number compared to a sharp fall for other UK occupations. A number of initiatives have followed this study. The loss of another three lives when a fishing vessel caught fire has highlighted a new phenomenon where overseas crew members are accommodated on board while the vessel is alongside. The report has identified that many vessels are unsuitable for such use when alongside with limited shore power available.
The MAIB stresses that the sole objective of their investigations is to prevent future similar accidents and not to determine liability or apportion blame. The particular circumstances of each accident or incident determine which form the investigation takes with the prime output of the investigations being resultant recommendations. This objective is reflected in that the bulk of the report covers this aspect of the MAIB’s role.
The recommendations take several forms including a letter from the Chief Inspector and urgent Safety Bulletins. These can be directed at a variety of addressees ranging from those with a statutory role such as the DfT and the MCA, including international organisations, and individual vessel owners and operators.
The information covering recommendations issued in 2008 is basically broken down into the recipient industry sector and the state of progress with the implementation of the recommendations. Of the 117 recommendations issued by the MAIB in 2008, 92.7% have either been accepted or have been accepted and are yet to be implemented.
The statistical section of the report breaks down the various investigations throughout the year into UK merchant vessels and fishing vessels, non-UK commercials vessels and vessels that do not fit the definition of commercial vessels (UK). Each group then refers to vessel losses and accidents, the nature of accidents for each vessel category, deaths and injuries by location on the vessel and the individuals rank and a breakdown of type of injury and death relevant to both crew and passengers.
While largely statistical the report demonstrates the thoroughness and detail that is afforded to improve safety for seafarers and can be viewed at www.maib.gov.uk
By Peter Barker
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