200948 Unsafe hatch cover sweeping

Source: Mark Bull, Loss Prevention Manager, The London P&I Club

 

 

One of our inspectors has highlighted a dangerous practice aboard bulk carriers in some far-eastern ports. The stevedores climb on top of the open hatch covers and shovel coal, which has spilt on to the top, back into the open hold. As you can see from the photograph, above, their only safety equipment is a rope joining them together. Should either one slip and fall into the hold or on to the main deck, it is doubtful such a system would arrest the fall. The stevedore on the hatch cover would find it hard to maintain his foothold on the coal debris, besides the dynamic jerk on the rope. A fall into a near empty hold would be fatal.