Navigare 3 - 2019

news
SAND FREIGHT: The cargo ship Mercator is owned by Stabben Shipping AS in Os, Hordaland, and the
vessel was unloading sand in Drammen when the accident occurred. On its way through Karmsundet.
PHOTO: BJARTE AMBLE
risk of accidents posed by the skid-steer
loader.
The skid-steer loader was used to collect the
rest of the sand in the cargo hold to make it
easier for the vessel›s excavator to lift the cargo
ashore. Both machines belonged to the vessel
and were operated by crew members.
COURSE OF EVENTS
Mercator arrived in Drammen the night before
the accident, and the able seaman who normally
operated the skid-steer loader was informed that
a bolt in the bucket›s lift arm had come loose. It
was decided that the loader had to be repaired.
The able seaman inserted the new safety
bolt and repaired the loader›s bucket before the
loader was put into use that morning. After two
to three hours in operation in the cargo hold,
however, the bolt came loose again. The able
seaman asked the chief engineer officer to fetch
a hammer. As the chief engineer officer was
returning, he saw from the main deck that the
able seaman was working on the skid-steer
loader in the cargo hold. But as the chief
engineer officer entered the cargo hold, he
found the able seaman severely injured between
the bucket and the operator›s compartment. He
was alive but could barely speak. He was just
pointing to his chest. The skid-steer loader›s
engine was running.
The Emergency Medical Communication
Centre (EMCC) was notified immediately, and
the able seaman was given emergency medical
care before taken to hospital. A few hours later
he was pronounced dead. The post-mortem
report concluded that death was due to crush
injuries.
SAFETY FEATURES
The skid-steer loader had several safety features
to prevent accidents. According to the user
manual, the loader was equipped with a
mechanical parking brake to prevent propulsion
when the engine was running. During a repair
of the lift arms or bucket, a support for the lift
arms must be used.
The loader also had a restraint bar to
prevent the use (by pedals) of lift arms and
bucket with no driver in the seat. The loader
should also have a sensor in the seat (seat
switch) which stops the engine when the driver
leaves the seat.
All of these safety features are requirements
which the manufacturer must comply with in
order to obtain a CE marking for the loader
and thus be able to sell it on the European
market. Even if the machine was used on board
a vessel that is subject to other legislation, the
loader must comply with the above-mentioned
safety requirements.
PROBABLE CAUSE
The analysis from the AIBN points to the fact
that none of the other crew members were
present when the able seaman installed the new
safety bolt in the morning, even though this was
a type of repair work that had not been
performed on board before. No risk
assessment had been done before the work
started, and there was nobody on board to
evaluate the potential high risk of the repair
work. This was due to a lack of knowledge
of the skid-steer loader›s safety features as
well as a lack of knowledge about potential
risks that might arise during the work.
The AIBN cannot explain why another
problem arised with the safety bolt, but the
board implies that the bolt might have
slipped out because it was not properly
installed the first time.
The board cannot conclude with any
degree of certainty what went wrong during
the second repair, but it is probable that the
able seaman was standing between the
bucket and the operator›s compartment to
hit the bolt while the engine was running.
The able seaman probably tried to move the
loader›s lift arms by leaning into the
operator›s compartment to adjust the pedals
by hand. He was then able to hit the bolt
into place with the other hand when the bolt
holes were aligned. The skid-steer loader is
equipped with pedals having quite sensitive
control functions. Most likely, the able
seaman pressed the pedal too hard, causing
the bucket to tilt back in an uncontrolled
manner towards the operator›s compartment,
crushing the able seaman. The able seaman
managed to get loose, most likely by steering
the bucket forward again.
LACK OF CONFORMITY
The skid-steer loader was a Mustang 2044
and a 2005 model. It was included in the
sale when Stabben Shipping AS bought the
ship in May 2018 from Sama Shipping &
Management AS. The captain informed that
he was not aware of any problems with the
loader.
The loader was investigated by a
technical company after the accident. The
AIBN and the police were present. There
was no service history. The investigation
reported that the loader did not have a user
manual, and there was no documentation of
any completed periodic surveys. A number
Navigare 3 - 2019 | 57