"Ah! Call ze French 'Elf & Safety,Monsieur!".....

[Gulliver]

"Sacre Bleu!...my Engine 'as stopped!"

French-flagged river cruise ship Douce France (FM2895; EU-No.: 01822845), carrying 143 passengers and 23 crew ran aground on the Rhine at Lorch on July 21. A crew member caused the accident when he disposed of a broken sun lounger. When he tried to stow away the lounger, he touched the switch for the fuel supply and the engine was shut off.
[From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen, 24-7-12] Cargolaw.com


　
Oh dear.I bet that switch was in an out of the way position (in the broken sun-lounger store!? ,behind a glass cover,brightly labelled ENGINE FUEL CUT OFF -EMERGENCY USE ONLY.KEEP THIS POSITION CLEAR.

Easily done then!

[j.sabourn]

One of the most stupid instructions in one of the quite large manuals of some company or other was, no one was to go no more than 3 feet off the deck wothout a safety harness on. The poor lecky must have been very close to this height when replacng lamps in the accomodation. All the gaff about safety shoes etc and things that any seaman was aware of to my mind was equally stupid. I remember one person out of the owners office was telling me how much it cost to get some so called expert to compile this company manual. It was Thousands, any seaman could have compiled for free. However had to have the official stamp of approval by some government department. Cheers John Sabourn

[John Arton]

when my last company introduced a safety management system, way before ISM, they calculated it would cost an extra 1% only on each ships budget as its cost would be offset by the reduction in accidents and the costs involved in accidents. Then ISM and ISPS came in and costs rocketed. Cannot recall how much they were putting onto each ships budget to cover the costs but when you think that the average cost of just a vetting inspection or an ISM survey is in the region of $3000 and you have a minimum of around 4 of these a year and then you add on all the cost of the extra equipment and training needed then all of this takes up a hefty chunk of any ships budget.
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

Keeps a lot of people employed. On far better salarys than the seafarer ever knew. The old saying that safety is good as long as it doesnt cost money, went by the board years ago. The lost time at meetings discussing accident free days which on some vessels one got a bonus for, and finished up arguing about lost man working days and this one didnt apply and this one did, used to keep me puzzled. There was more lost time talking about it than anything else. Regards John Sabourn

[happy daze john in oz]

We regularly used to dupm bags of rubbish from the boat deck on the Windsor. Bags full of bottles and other heavy stuff. How we never managed to hit anyone looking over the side is a bit of a mystery now I look back on it. But in those days just about every thing went over the side, even bodies!

[Richard Quartermaine]

So much trade/manufacturing and thus JOBS have been lost through escalating costs and loss of productivity that have been to a large extent a direct result of over zealous application of operational health and safety. Of course it was necessary to bring in regulations to protect employees but to "go overboard" to the extent that we in Oz and no doubt in GB is now a cure more hazardous than the complaint.

Take a look at the "made in" stamp or label on everything that is in your home or department store. Those suppliers have taken as a gift most of our manufacturing base and as those skills built up over the centuries are no longer in demand they are therefore also lost.

Richard Q

[j.sabourn]

In 1990 the price on a seamans life was 30,000 pounds and thats what the shipowner insured for if my memory is correct. This would at the time have been slightly less than 2 years pay. It was to be hoped he did not have a wife and family. Would be interesting to know if this has gone up with the cost of living. Or maybe due to the more austerity moves they may not bother at all. Cheers John Sabourn

[alf corbyn]

an old american railway had a terrific safety record. they had a single track with a large board with a notice on it. if two trains should meet on this track, neither shall move until the other has passed.

[Captain Kong]

A week or two ago someone said they were on ships where it was OK for Seamen to paint over the wall on a stage when the ship was at sea. I forget where it was now. Maybe it was Capt, Bill Davies.????
.
I have found my book," Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen." 1978.
Chapter 15 , page 84, 1.4...............
.
Quote,......... Men should not work overside while the vessel is underway.
plus many other very interesting rules.
Cheers
Brian.

[happy daze john in oz]

A week or two ago someone said they were on ships where it was OK for Seamen to paint over the wall on a stage when the ship was at sea. I forget where it was now. Maybe it was Capt, Bill Davies.????
.
I have found my book," Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen." 1978.
Chapter 15 , page 84, 1.4...............
.
Quote,......... Men should not work overside while the vessel is underway.
plus many other very interesting rules.
Cheers
Brian.

The problem was Brain that the majority of ship owners could not read, maybe some of the skippers on a bonus as well.