Anchor operations compromised. CHIRP report M2361 describes a relatively new deckhand who had dropped anchor only once on that vessel. The deck crew had often exceeded the required hours of rest, fatigue was persistent, and on this occasion they hurried to anchor.
The deckhand read the vessel's chain markings as four shackles when five had run out. The final warning marks were short, close to the end and unclear. The bitter end emerged from the chain locker, and the reporter's hand near the brake wheel was nearly crushed.
Chain markings only provide a warning when the person operating the equipment is familiar with that vessel's system and can identify the marks in time.
CHIRP's stated defence was another crew member during anchoring to provide a cross-check for the inexperienced and fatigued operator.
Before the next anchoring operation, can every assigned crew member identify the final warning markings on that vessel?
#MaritimeSafety #ShipOperations #CrewTraining #HumanFactors #OccupationalSafety
