Standard Safety September 2016

In this edition we cover: Improving hazard awareness, Near-miss reporting and why it matters, Breaking the error chain part 3, NPK fertiliser and self-sustaining decomposition, MARPOL Annex IV – Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships, Disposal of solid bulk cargo residues and cargo hold wash water under MARPOL Annex V, Seafarers: choose a long and successful career, not the risk of diabetes.

In this edition, we combine safety advice for seafarers and ship managers with an update on the activities of the loss prevention department. Each of the articles in this edition reflects a key area of concern for the club, based on the claims we are notified of and the issues we know that our members face. The loss prevention department have been working on a number of initiatives this year to promote safety on board ships, details of which can he found in the attachment on this page.

If you require any further information on any of the below articles, please get in touch with the author or your usual club contact.

Improving hazard awareness

Following the success of our 'Spot the Hazard' competition The Standard Club and the International Chamber of Shipping have jointly produced safety posters for distribution worldwide. Read more on page 2 of the attachment.

Breaking the error chain, part 3

In the previous two editions of Standard Safety we used case studies to demonstrate how taking shortcuts for the convenience of completing a task quickly leads to increased risk for seafarers. In this last instalment, we will look at two new examples where shortcuts caused a cargo overflow and a total loss. Read more on page 7 of the attachment

MARPOL Annex IV - Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships

This article aims to provide information on why releasing untreated sewage into the sea is hazardous and guidance on the regulations that control pollution of the sea by sewage. Read more on page 13 of the attachment

Near-miss reporting and why it matters

The loss prevention department is currently supporting a number of initiatives to encourage near-miss reporting as a means of improving safety on board ships. In this article, we explain these projects and why near-miss reporting is essential. Read more on page 5 of the attachment

Disposal of solid bulk cargo residues and cargo hold wash water under MARPOL Annex V

MARPOL Annex V deals with the regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships. The disposal of non-recoverable cargo residues and hold wash water is also governed under this annex. Although most members are well versed with the requirements for the various garbage categories covered in MARPOL Annex V, There is some ambiguity regarding the disposal of cargo residues and hold wash water. This article aims to clarify the requirements and highlights the practical steps to be taken by the crew in order to ensure compliance. Read more on page 16 of the attachment

Seafarers: choose a long and successful career, not the risk of diabetes

Surely diabetes is a disease of rich, first world countries and not one to worry seafarers from other parts of the world? Wrong! This article explains how and why all seafarers should be alert to the risk of diabetes. Read more on page 21 of the attachment

NPK fertiliser and self-sustaining decomposition

In this article, we will discuss NPK fertiliser, why it is potentially hazardous, what precautions to take and what to do should the worst happen. Read more on page 10 of the attachment