Question 1

Crystal Stream's four crew abandoned to a liferaft at night and were recovered safely, but the MAIB found a lack of regular drills had left them unfamiliar with the lifesaving equipment, contributing to a prolonged evacuation. What if drills on your vessel are infrequent or skipped &mdash; what is the most useful thing you can do as a crew member?

Accepted Answer

Raise it directly with the skipper, and if that doesn't lead to change, report it confidentially through a scheme such as CHIRP Maritime &mdash; the first time you handle a liferaft should not be in a real emergency Crystal Stream's crew got off safely, but the MAIB was clear that the evacuation was slower and more chaotic than it needed to be because of a lack of regular drills. "It worked out" is not the same as "it worked as intended." Raising the gap with the skipper, and using confidential reporting routes like CHIRP Maritime if nothing changes, is the practical step available to a crew member &mdash; certification of the equipment says nothing about whether the people who would have to use it know how.

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.