Web Alerts: Rescuing the rescue boat

This safety video shows a rescue boat on which replacement lifting strops had been fitted incorrectly, meaning that when it was deployed the rib swung out to the vertical.

The Standard Club has been working with the Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) for over two years to promote safety at sea and accident prevention, through the creation of video bulletins highlighting hazardous incidents and giving advice for minimising the risks.

In May, CHIRP Maritime received the prestigious Lloyds Register Foundation ‘Team of the Year 2018’, an endorsement of the work that is done to promote safety at sea.

This video features just one case study, focusing on a particular issue – rescue boats. The video shows a rescue boat on which replacement lifting strops had been fitted incorrectly, meaning that when it was deployed the rib swung out to the vertical. Thankfully this took place during familiarisation training and nobody was on board.

The video features the club’s Loss Prevention Executive, Richard Bell, highlighting the lessons learnt – that replacements require cross-checking, supervision and testing in all circumstances.

The bulletin is available here. Read more on the other bulletins here.

These safety bulletins rely on reports to be submitted to CHIRP from all sectors of the maritime industry. Reports can be submitted confidentially at reports@chirp.co.uk.

The case studies and lessons learnt from submissions are published in their quarterly bulletin Maritime Feedback in both written and video form. The reports are also investigated with the ship’s owner and can be used to escalate problems to people who can make a difference, such as naval architects, classification societies and flag state authorities.