Transport Malta has released a report on the death of a crew member on the deck of the MV Drawsko while rigging a portable cargo hold light in Turkey.
On 8 September 2023, MV Drawsko was loading a cargo of grain, at the port of Iskenderun, Türkiye. During that night, the duty ordinary seafarer was tasked with rigging up portable lights in cargo hold no. 1. Several minutes later, however, the duty officer found the ordinary seafarer lying unconscious on deck, clutching a portable light. Attempts to revive the ordinary seafarer, by the crew members as well as paramedics, were unsuccessful.
The autopsy result revealed that the ordinary seafarer had died of cardiac arrest electrocution. The safety due to investigation determined that the portable light’s power plug had been incorrectly wired, resulting in the electrocution of the ordinary seafarer when he picked up the metal frame of the portable light.
Conclusions
1. The safety investigation concluded that the ordinary seaman died from cardiac and respiratory arrest due to electrocution when he picked up the portable light.
2. The portable light’s plug was incorrectly wired; the live wire was connected to its earth terminal.
3. The colours of the wires in the portable light’s cabling are considered to have likely contributed to the light being incorrectly wired.
4. The portable lights were not part of a robust planned maintenance system where they would have been regularly checked.
The Marine Safety Investigation Unit has issued three recommendations to the company, designed to enhance safety when handling portable lights:
– circulate the findings of this safety investigation to its managed and owned fleet.
– investigate the possibility of fitting RCD to vulnerable switch boards.
– consider the use of low voltage portable lights.
Read the full report: MV Drawsko Final Safety Investigation Report 13/2024
