SUB-COMMITTEE ON STABILITY AND LOAD LINES AND ON ...

Ref.: 391/09 and 520/09
BSU
Bundesstelle für Seeunfalluntersuchung
Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation
5.2.6.2 General Wheelhouse Safety
There should be no sharp edges, corners or protuberances which could cause injury
to personnel.
5.2.6.3 Hand and Grab Rails
Sufficient hand or grab rails should be fitted in an appropriate amount to enable
personnel to move or stand safely in bad weather. Protection of stairway openings
should be given special consideration.
Covered with non-slip rubber, the flooring of the wheelhouse is already designed so
that maximum stability should be given when standing. However, since the floor was
covered with various objects on the day of the accident, paper sheets in particular, a
significant risk of slipping prevailed.
Sharp edges and corners, in this case, for example, the heater and door openings,
cannot be avoided completely and with respect to injuries would probably not be
regarded as critical under normal circumstances.
Regarding the last point concerning hand or grab rails, the bridge of the CCNI
GUAYAS is inadequately equipped.
In the rules and regulations concerning handrails on bridges, the now expired UVV-
See 7 of the Ship Safety Division (BG Verkehr) contained precise instructions for the
equipment in section V 'Structural equipment' art. 94a 8 – Handrails. Grab rails:
"94a. On bridges and other navigational areas – especially on bridge consoles,
the front bulkhead, the chart table and the free-standing navigational
equipment – in galleys and pantries as well as in the passageways between
lounges, an appropriate amount of handrails or other provisions shall be
provided for holding on to."
In the case of this vessel, which was built in 1997, it is difficult to understand why the
shipyard did not observe these provisions regarding the equipment of the bridge with
handrails. For example, there are no handrails whatsoever amidships at the freestanding
radio workstation and it is very difficult to find something to hold on to there.
On the entire bridge, especially at the windows (the front bulkhead), there are no
handrails, handles or other provisions on which the lookout, for example, who
normally spends the most time at the window and keeps lookout, could hold.
The only three handrails are on the ship’s conning position. However, to get there
from the staircase a 2 x 2 m space, in which there are no handholds, needs to be
crossed.
4.5 Cause of death
It was not possible to clarify the actual cause of death conclusively for lack of a
forensic examination (post mortem) of the body of the casualty and the absent
medical report.
7 UVV-See = Accident Prevention Regulations for Shipping Enterprises
8 This article of the UVV-See was repealed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on 1
December 2010.
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