Question 1

As Master, the Kommandor Susan report recommends regular loss-of-propulsion drills that rehearse "total power loss, total anchor loss, communications loss" rather than just "propulsion fault on bridge." During a port departure briefing, what if your Chief Engineer confirms the emergency generator is "fully operational" — what follow-up question does this case suggest you should ask before accepting that as sufficient?

Accepted Answer

Whether the emergency generator (and anything it supplies, such as steering or communications) is genuinely independent of the main generator/distribution bus that just failed in this scenario — because a blackout that takes down "everything" only matters if the emergency systems are wired through a path that survives that specific failure On Kommandor Susan, the anchor winches were lost in the same blackout that took out propulsion — an apparent backup (anchoring) shared a single point of failure (the main electrical bus) with the system that failed. The MAIB's lesson for Masters is to "always confirm with the Chief Engineer that emergency systems are genuinely independent of the primary power bus" — a generic "fully operational" answer doesn't address whether the emergency system would actually survive the specific failure mode the Master is most concerned about.

Question 2

You're asked to test a deck crane grab after electrical repairs nearby. As the grab is hoisted, what should have happened first?

Accepted Answer

The area within the grab's swing radius should be cleared of personnel before the lift On the bulk carrier Fairfield Eagle, a crew member working nearby was struck and fatally injured when a grab being test-lifted after repairs swung unexpectedly. The investigation found the area should have been cleared and barriered before the test lift began.

Question 3

A toolbox talk held before a lifting operation should explicitly cover which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Who must remain clear of the exclusion zone while the lift takes place A toolbox talk exists to make sure everyone present understands the danger zones, the abort signal, and — critically — who must not be in the area while the lift happens. The RMIMA investigation into the Fairfield Eagle fatality found the toolbox talk had not made this clear.