Tanker Accident: Routine Maintenance Goes Awry
A recent incident on a tanker at anchor awaiting berth has underscored the importance of strictly adhering to safety protocols during routine maintenance. The unfortunate incident caused injuries to four crew members— two of them suffered severe burns. The information shared come from our source close to the investigation.
Routine Maintenance Turns Into Tragedy
According to details emerging from our sources, the accident occurred on the vessel’s auxiliary boiler fuel oil pump during its routine maintenance. Despite the crew having carried out a job hazard analysis and even obtaining the necessary work permits, the accident happened.
Critical Error Identified
The accident investigation has revealed that a senior engine room crew member began the maintenance work without first releasing system pressure. This critical lapse led to hot fuel and gases spurting out when the crew member loosened the filter cover. This misstep resulted in injuries to four crew members, two of whom received severe burns requiring hospital treatment and subsequent repatriation, we were informed by our sources.
Safety Protocol Oversight Proved Costly
The investigators concluded that the accident occurred mainly due to a failure to adequately follow safety protocol, specifically, the ‘Permit to Work on Pressurized Systems.’ Despite procedural checks that seemed to indicate adherence to the protocol, it became apparent in the aftermath that the system pressure had not been released before maintenance began.
The Impact and Consequences
- Four crew members injured, with two suffering severe burns.
- Efficient protocol adherence into question.
The accident has underscored the importance of rigorous adherence to safety checks and protocols, even for routine maintenance tasks. Rigorous adherence to safety checks and ensuring all protocols and procedures are correctly and effectively executed is the only way to prevent such incidents.
