200707 Fall from mast

An enthusiastic trainee aboard a sail-training vessel was sent aloft for routine sail handling operations. After completing the task, he requested permission from the deck to climb to the masthead for a better view. This was given. As he reached the masthead he clipped his safety line into a backstay rather than one of the other fixed strong points available to him. As he was preparing to come down he slipped, sliding down the backstay to the caprail 67 feet below. An alert shipmate, who was properly secured to the rigging about 18 feet below the masthead, reached out and grabbed the falling trainee, but couldn't hold on. The trainee struck the main top 20 feet below with a glancing blow, landing on the rail cap.

Shore medical services and the coastguard were immediately informed while crew members brought out the stretcher and first aid kit. As the training ship was very close to the shore, paramedics were on board very quickly, and the ship itself was secured alongside the dock within 15 minutes. The casualty was transported to a local hospital for stabilisation prior to helicopter transport to a regional trauma centre. Fortunately, he suffered no spinal or brain injuries, no organ damage, only a few broken bones.

Root causes/contributory factors
Failure to clip safety line to an appropriate fitting;
Lack of adequate training and supervision;
Unsafe practice of permitting trainee to proceed to a hazardous location unaccompanied by experienced personnel.

Other lessons
Although this incident occurred on a sail-training vessel, an inexperienced trainee on any ship, merchant or naval, can commit a blunder like this, due to fear, stress or excitement.
A mountaineer-type drill on ‘self-belaying’ must be done several times before trainees are escorted up any mast.
Safe ‘anchor points’ for safety lines must be indelibly and conspicuously marked at mastheads and other similar exposed high locations