While trying to remove a gangway’s torsion tube for repairs, a crew member suffered an injury to his finger. The Nautical Institute describes the incident in a new Mars Report.
The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars (Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme) Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. This is one of these reports.
Deck crew were removing the starboard gangway’s torsion tube for repairs. After removing the nuts and bolts, the tube remained stuck in place, probably due to paint and corrosion. To free it up, a crew member hammered the tube with his right hand while holding the shipside railing with his left hand as an anchor. Two other crew members were assisting, pulling at the other end of the torsion tube.
When the tube came free it swung up and inboard with force, hitting the left ring finger of the crew member holding the ship side railing. The finger was caught and crushed between the flange of the tube and the railing, resulting in a complex fracture.
Also read: Crew member suffers injury from hazard in plain sight
Advice from The Nautical Institute
Some jobs appear mundane and routine, but every task can have hidden risks. If things don’t go as planned, stop and re-evaluate. What is the best way to solve the problem?
Also read: Fan blade finger injury on board tanker
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202542. A selection of the Mars Reports are also published in the SWZ|Maritime magazine. The Nautical Institute compiles these reports to help prevent maritime accidents. That is why they are also published (in full) on SWZ|Maritime’s website.
More reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are read only by the Mars coordinator and are treated in the strictest confidence. To submit a report, please use the Mars report form.
