Precautionary tales

Second Officer, acting alone during night cargo watch in African port, rigged rope ladder to read draft marks. Believed to have lost footing. Body not found.

Is receiving false invoices from chandlers and agents in Suez, bearing a reprint of the Company stamp, ship’s stamp and Captain’s signature

To prevent illegal discharge of oil at sea, the Company are provided numbered overboard discharge valve seals. The Company must be advised when the seals are broken and replaced. These numbers are recorded at the Company’s head office.

Departing Persian Gulf in fine weather whilst transiting Straits of Hormuz, Bosun heard anchor flukes rattling against the hull so decided to tighten up the cable. Removed guillotine and then anchor, cable and bitter end ran out. Lost.

Variable pitch propeller – both bridge and engine room assumed interlock between two controls. Whilst making fast, bridge switched to engine room control whilst engine running. Bridge setting zero – engine room setting 55%. Engine gave 55% of 24,000 hp. All ropes parted.

Men working in engine room bilges, reported to be very hot and humid. Used portable electric cooling fan. Humidity caused internal short circuit and casing was then live. Engineer touched casing and was electrocuted.

Electrician carrying out routine maintenance of air conditioning systems. Tripped on pipe, lost balance and put hand onto v belt which then went through a serious of cogs. ‘Degloved’ hand.

Russian medical certificate showed clean bill of health but crewmember had been administering himself medication for heart disease known to his own Doctor.