The Association would like to alert Members to a type of locking mechanism for watertight doors that creates a risk of personal injury.

The Club is handling a case where a crewmember suffered injury to his hand while operating the watertight door on a newbuild vessel. As can be seen from the images below, the operating handle passes over a vertical bar which is another moving part of the mechanism. The two parts create a scissor action whereby they come closer together as the handle is pushed down to close the door.

As a result of the incident, the seafarer suffered injury to a finger that got caught between the two parts. Such injury can seriously affect a crewmember’s ability to carry out his tasks on board and may result in repatriation and delays to the vessel.

The Association is concerned that other vessels may be fitted with the same arrangement on their watertight doors. Where this design exists, Members are encouraged to warn crew of the hazards associated with operating the door(s) and take measures to have the mechanism replaced, or prevent injury incidents through some other means.

Source of information:

UK P&I Club Loss Prevention Department

Tel: +44(0) 20 7204 2217

Email: lossprevention.ukclub@thomasmiller.com

http://www.ukpandi.com/ukpandi/infopool.nsf/HTML/Homepage_LP