A crew member is about to use a safety wire for a gangway/accommodation ladder rigging task. The wire has a plastic coating and looks externally intact. Is a visual check of the outer coating sufficient to confirm this wire is safe to use for a safety-critical application?

A. No, but only if the wire has previously been submerged in water

B. No — plastic-coated wire can corrode internally without visible external signs, as identified in a real fatal MAIB-reported accident; periodic thorough inspection and consideration of uncoated or more inspectable alternatives for safety-critical applications should be considered

C. Yes — if the coating looks intact, the wire underneath must also be sound

D. Yes, provided the wire is less than 5 years old

A. The rigging of the handrail was understood by the crew to be a two-person evolution, but on the day the bosun proceeded with the task essentially alone after sending the deckhand away for life vests

B. The task had never been performed by this crew before

C. The task always involved three crew members and a formal supervisor

D. There was a fully documented, mandatory procedure that was followed correctly throughout

A. A safety feature deliberately designed to distribute load evenly across all steps

B. A shackle secured over the ladder's side ropes rather than properly through the designed attachment point, which brings the entire weight of the ladder onto a single step that is not designed to bear that load

C. A type of shackle used only for lifeboat falls, unrelated to pilot ladders

D. A modern upgrade that improves on traditional pilot ladder rigging