Boatyard Safety

[Nick.k]

I'm working about 15 years now self employed in various yards.



I'd say the biggest cause of accidents is people falling from a height. I know / know of many people that have been injured that way and can count a few occasions myself - which - but for the grace of god..
One guy I know slipped off a staging, landed on his back on concrete and was a full year in hospital. He had to learn to talk again and will never walk again normally. (Spain)

I once witnessed a work platform collapse from a height of about five meters. There was a guy on it, we thought he'd broken his back because he couldn't move for a while though in the end it was just bad bruising. (Ireland)



The second biggest cause of accidents that I've known of has been things falling from a height or heavy weights dropping small distances.
In a yard I frequently work in, a crew member lost much of his foot when the large propeller they were using a puller on suddenly came loose and slipped off the shaft, the blade landing across his foot. (Spain)
I knew a mechanic who lost the fingers of one hand when the large engine he was working on slipped off the mount and crushed his hand. (Ireland)

I witnessed a guy nudge a heavy steel roll-pin out of his way on the deck of a fishing trawler. It rolled to the edge, went through a scupper and fell on a crew-man about six meters below. Luckily it was a glancing blow to the side of his shoulder... (Ireland)


I can't think of a case I know where it's been a long term worker who has been hurt, it always seems to be people passing through; crew members, owners, or contractors coming in to do something. IMO the best way to promote yard safety is to make sure that people in the yard are aware of the risks; I think this is probably why it always seems to be external people who get hurt.

[pbmaise]

I have yet to see two important things mentioned one I suffered personally.

Temperature can cause heat stroke. Making sure everyone in the yard has ample access to water to help prevent dehydration. You also need to make sure people are not working when it is far too hot to be working unprotected.

Workers need some training to recognize signs of heat stroke and to respond quickly. It may well be the owner of the vessel, as was my case, who collapses on the tarmac because he was too busy working to notice his own health.

Many vessels have enclosed spaces that need to be maintained. I have seen workers enter diesel tanks on a large sailboat to paint toxic paints and the workers came out totally loopy. Not having plans and procedures to safeguard workers within enclosed spaces is a recipe for a worker not coming out.

Ask boat owners where they plan to paint, what they are painting with, and what they are doing to ensure safety.

Remember, you will have a set of really cheap owners who refuse to buy the proper safety equipment, rent fans, etc. Having things readily available to buy or be rented and used on the yard will help with the issue.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Alge Thomas

Neil


Cheers for the info. Tricky one concerning ladder access. Vehicle yards now often provide a platform whereby no-one can fall off a trailer, or a soft landing system etc. Practical solution a bit more difficult in a boat yard where the height and shape vary.


Thanks again

Power Boats in Trinidad caters to us old farts. They provide walk up stairs and top platform.

[Epikur]

I came near to falling from a travel lift during haul out.
You step over from your boat at sea level and the next moment you are 3 meters high above the pavement.
Many customers are unaware of the dangers and unfamiliar with safety precautions.

[aajora]

i would focus on falls… ladders are the single most dangerous piece of equipment in any job site. OSHA approved and in good condition, free of grease and ropes (untied/tethered) from ladder with no obstructions at the base.

more people die from falls under 6’ than higher than 6’ on jobsites.

electrical shock hazards are another one, lockout/tagout and gfci outlets.

tripping hazards.

its mostly the little things that cause injuries… 90%+.

good luck

[parkstone bay]

The thing is that most accidents are caused by thoughtlessness/carelessness, and, almost by definition, those are especially difficult to manage.
But - as thoughts, some of which have been mentioned before:
1. people or objects falling from heights.
2. foot injuries: there's a thread about bare feet on a boat, but in a yard?.
At the very least, there will be sharp stones, but also probably, nails, screws, bottle tops, broken glass....
3. head injuries: people ducking under a boat
4. electrical dangers - often one sees multiple adaptors in one yard outlet, and cables snaking on the ground
5. "unauthorised" vehicle movements (you can handle yard boat-lifters, fork-tricks, etc. reasonably well, but private individuals in cars won't take any notice of your safety precautions).
6. A HUGE issue - and one which will cost dearly if it's not controlled from minute 1, is children playing. Many parents take their children to the yard, and let them use the yard, which is let's face it an industrial work environment, as a playground. Swinging on yacht props, using inflatables as bouncy castles are just two obvious areas to watch Watch out for Oppie parents; they are the worst by a street.

[Skipper Kenny]

Originally Posted by rwidman

it is a bit concerning that a person who will be in charge of boatyard safety is asking for advice on an Internet forum.

I think better information would come from OSHA and any state workplace safety agencies. Actual experience in boatyards would also be helpful.

Pretty clear to people who are MSHA certified and also hold their OSHA 30 certification, the gentleman asking for boatyard specific information has expertise in other areas of industrial safety.

And to the OP; Some of the most ignored safety rules that I experienced as a manager were in regards to wearing life jackets around the docks and when boarding vessels.

[johnn33]

Hi
May I add
1 Strict hard hat and ear defenders policy - instant dismissal


2 Hot work sentry with fire fighting kit and a very loud audible manual and electronic alarm


3 Yellow tabards ashore; yellow life jackets on or close to water


Cheers John

[westmane]

I always show the travel lift operator an 81/2 by 11 photo of my sailboat in the sling on a previous haul out. They alway appreciate it - I think it would be a good yard practice.

[JPA Cate]

A couple of things I've seen, that haven't been mentioned. Wearing wide brimmed hats cut off vision above the eyes: someone walked into the rudder of the boat so hard she was hospitalized for 3 days.

In another incident, a man drilled through his hull into the travel lift strap. He was required to pay for its replacement.

Also knew two who had heart attacks during haulouts, and one fall from scaffolding, as well.

Ann

[ccanupii]

The biggest source of accidents, injuries and property loss in a boat yard is people taking on the responsibility of safety oversight and not knowing what they are they doing, then asking an internet chat group how to do their job.

[GypsyOwner]

Some things I have seen and heard:

Battery acid burns holes in your trousers.
Don’t mess with epoxy without serious gloves.
Some people like diving off their boats. Please! Not in the yard!
Obviously rickety home-welded stands are going to fail sooner or later.
Slipways covered in green slime live up to their name.
Any type of machine saw is biding it’s time waiting for a misplaced finger. Use a wooden stick to push things along.
Don’t put hoisting strops right under saildrives.
Lastly don’t ‘chuck’ things in the back of a van without thinking about what they are. With hindsight, starter batteries and steel petrol tanks were not going to give my colleague Gus a safe journey home.

[hlev00]

Ask the boatyard’s insurance company to give you an assessment. Hopefully your management will be supportive of this.

[merrydolphin]

Clearly the most common danger in a boat yard is falls. I have witnessed this first hand. My wife was coming down the ladder ( that was tied on). And she went over backwards from 9 feet high. We were in Marina Seca San Carlos, Mexico. She landed on her butt, breaking her pelvis clear in half and breaking her back in 5 vertebrae. Plus both hips. This is a fairly remote area. As we are divers and had D A N insurance. This saved her life, but barely. She was medivaced out by Lear jet to Tucson Trauma Center. She almost died twice in the hospital. Her recovery took 2 yrs to partially recover.

Yeah……….falls. We all climb up and down ladders and walk and work on the decks of our boats a lot. Often you have to scrounge up a ladder. Some boat yards have ladders in poor conditions. Yeah…….falls.

For a boat to fall on its stands or the lift while people are underneath is very rare. And the yard workers most apt to get hurt blocking up boats. But even this is rare. Toxic chemicals are something to consider and harder to track. Damage can take yrs to show. Falls.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Another risk is to dispose highly reactive resin&hardener mixes rests next to flammable objects when the reaction is not finished. Big fire risk due to exothermic heat.

Another one are linseed oil rags disposed off improperly and self inflaming.

Hahaha, Franziska you’re right about that, Chockfast is my nemesis. We mix it in fairly large quantities but are ready to jettison the runaway product out of the engine room and over the side, epoxy has a similar reaction but you have the option of mixing up smaller batches.