Maritime Accident Casebook: The Case of the Bosun's Omen
In its latest podcast, The Case Of The Bosun's Omen, Maritime Accident Casebook suggests that it is time to review how Safety Management Systems work, or don't.
Based on an incident investigated by the Hong Kong Marine Department, Mardep, The Case Of The Bosun's Omen tells the story of the death of a bosun when the MacGregor hatchcovers on which he was standing opened under their own eight and crushed him between two 1.5 tonne steel pontoons. The incident happened because the seafarers involved did not follow safety procedures given in the ship's Safety Management System.
Says Bob Couttie, administrator of Maritime Accident Casebook and narrator of the podcast: "Seafarers not following procedures laid down in a ship's SMS is a common element in maritime casualties. In rare cases, it's true, seafarers have been prohibited from having access to a
ship's SMS but for the most part it's a matter of them not following the procedures, not being familiar with them, or deliberately ignoring them. Somehow the message isn't getting across that these documents aren't there just to add ballast, they're there to save lives."
"It may be time to take a look at how the SMS is implemented and why they are having less impact on accident reduction than they should. How do we get that information out of the ring-binder or off the ship's computer's hard disk ands make it an essential working tool for seafarers."
Like all MAC podcasts, The Case Of The Bosun's Omen reveals the circumstance around a real event through an audio podcast and online materials available for free at the Maritime Accident Casebook website, www.maritimeaccident.org.
As with the preceding episodes, each podcast is backed by an illustrated online transcript that seafarers can read, discuss and share with their crewmates and other seafarers. Those with training and safety responsibilities can use the broadcasts and the transcripts freely.
Maritime Accident Casebook, MAC, is a unique, free, informal educational resource for seafarers and maritime trainers which seeks to empower seafarers through knowledge to keep themselves alive and their ships safe. Using audio podcasts that can be played on any computer, MP3 Player or MP3-capable cellphone and online downloadable hard-copy transcripts, MAC encourages seafarers to discuss lessons learned from real-life events and apply them to their own vessels and working practices to create a safety-conscious community.
For further information about Bob Couttie's Maritime Accident Casebook see the website at http://maritimeaccident.org. E-mail him at: [email protected]
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