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Thread: Working aloft

  1. #21
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    Default Re: Working aloft

    A couple of years ago I went to see the CUTTY SARK after the restoration work was finished, one very
    nice touch was they had placed an effigy of a seaman dressed in oilskins up high in the rigging by a spar,
    I thought it put it into perspective by showing the size of a man up there and you didn't have to think too
    hard to appreciate the perils he faced working in all weather conditions with no safety rules and regulations
    at all. John Collier

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    In 2001 I visited Cobh on the barque Prince William. We berthed right outside the Cobh Heritage Centre and I was fortunate along with the rest of the crew to visit the Centre. I watched some marvelous black and white film taken of the big sailing ships, showing the crew working aloft in some pretty awful weather. They were dressed in just t shirt type tops and ragged dungaree trousers and were furling sails in what looked like mountainous seas and high winds. It brought home to me and I think my shipmates just what those poor sailors went through. I know we moan about Health and Safety in the 60s but I doubt that went anywhere near the dangers that those poor lads went through and the conditions they lived in. It must have been a terrible life compared to what we went through.
    When one door closes another one shuts, it must be the wind

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    Please keep replies to Subject in question now Lads any off Topic will be deleted!
    Appreciated Thank You

    Other replies that were Off Topic moved to Scuttlebutt chat. (Named Working Aloft 2)
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 11th April 2019 at 06:20 AM.
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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  5. #24
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    Default Re: Working aloft

    It makes one wonder who designed some of the ships of yesteryear?
    Reading some of the threads explaining just what crew had to do and where is hard to understand.
    It is as if the designers wanted to make life as hard as possible for all concerned.
    Obviously no concern for the crews safety at any time, but where the ships designers ever at sea, judging by some replies one would think not.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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  7. #25
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    Default Re: Working aloft

    I think that people engaged in health and safety assure have very little understanding of what you have to do at sea and it came home to me one night sitting talking to a shoreside health and safety expert when we got on the discussion of gas carriers and although I never sailed on them I regarded them as ships to be treated with extreme care he took a piece of paper and Drew out a shoreside gas carrier the accommodation had to be 2 miles from the storage tanks the engine room would be another mile in the other direction and he worked out that the smallest size gas carrier but you could get with the United Kingdoms health and safety regulations at the time was 5 1/2 miles long and a mile and a half wide that I think epitomised why health and safety at sea is a whole different ball game
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    In 1962 I was JOS on the PSNC ship SS Potosi I joined her in Liverpool and set sail for the West coast of South America, after the canal somewhere off the coast of Peru I was given a pot of paint and told to go and paint the truck on the main mast, off I shot up to the cross trees and set of up the wire rope ladder to the truck, when I reached the top of the ladder I was shocked to see that the 2 shackles holding the ladder to the mast were worn through and had a gap in the steel only just smaller than the kleet they were fastened to, I headed back to the cross trees a lot slower and with less vigour than I went up, once there I could see the ladder vibrating and guessed that this continues movement over god know how many years had caused the shackles to wear, I'm glad I wasn't told to paint it homeward bound who knows what another 4 months wear would have done to them. Did anyone ever get the job of changing them, I doubt it as you had to go up the ladder to rig a chair and I would not have gone up again.
    Good health everyone. Mike R754159

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    A couple of us were having a discussion this morning about the subject of OHS.

    It is quite amazing that there were not far more deaths in so many industries in the 40's, 50', 60' and 70' when by that time industry was beginning to take notice of the matter.
    Coal miners with silicosis, asbestos related trauma, and how many ships had some of that on board in engine rooms, hatches, bulkheads and many other places.
    Flour dust for bakers and ships bakers often had to work in confines galleys.
    Many shore siders loading goods they had no idea of the contents, maybe toxic but who knew?
    Fumes in engine room from fuel oil, what damage could that do to a mans lungs?
    Thankfully the world has come to understand many of the dangers, but having said that I have seen scaffolding in the Asian region made from Bamboo and tied up with string, literally.
    So we still have a long way to go.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    Unbelievable, That's the only word that comes to mind here John. I remember dropping the pilot at the Mersey bar Lightship early 70s outward bound Manchester liner Try as we did we could not house the Anchor flukes home no matter how many times the chippy lowered and raised her. We where building up a head of steam and I decided to throw a monkey ladder over the bow and climb down with a deck brush to swivel the bloody flukes home scary moment as we where building up a head of steam. Another day another dollar Terry.
    {terry scouse}

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    Default Re: Working aloft

    Hi Terry.
    Been there done that but not while she was underway. How about the chain locker without safety harness, the hook being wrenched out of your hand and stopping yourself reaching after it.
    Des

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  13. #30
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    Default Re: Working aloft

    Chain lockers we where told were always designed to be self storing Des, Cone shaped I don't know how many bloody shoes I lost in there, As for the hooks I always said I would like to see the guy who invented them have a go and demonstrate the correct way to use them, Remember as the chain came into the locker threw the leads it was a great idea to have a water hose washing the cable down as it was stored...……………………….
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    {terry scouse}

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