Don’t be shocked
On a beautiful day in the South Pacific a few days before Christmas, a 92-foot fiberglass longliner was slowly making way with its single diesel engine at idle. The longliner had a 2- to 3-degree port list, had nearly 60 tons of tuna on board and had 18 tons of fuel oil remaining. The crew of 10, which included a skipper and chief engineer, had just finished setting out a string of baited hooks.
The skipper had most of the crew working forward on the vessel, washing and cleaning the deck area, as well as stowing bait. The main deck was covered by wooden planks, several inches thick, which could be lifted and removed.
Meanwhile, on the port side, aft, the chief engineer noticed that several inches of water had accumulated on the deck and it was slow to drain. In order to increase the rate of deck drainage, the chief engineer gave two crew members the task of enlarging the scupper. The work entailed removing the existing piping and grinding out a larger hole in the fiberglass. One of the crewmen assigned had some knowledge as an electrician, and the other had been the longliner’s welder. The two crewmen began using a 4-inch, 220-volt hand grinder, which drew power from a 220-volt electrical outlet located aft of the deckhouse on the centerline of the vessel. Although there was water on the deck, it had not risen above the wooden planking.
A half hour later, the washdown forward was completed, and the crew started stowing fish. The chief engineer sent one of the new deckhands aft to assist with the deck drainage.
The deckhand was given the hand grinder, a pair of cloth gloves, and was told to continue enlarging the scupper opening. Water still remained pooled on the deck and there was an open-ended washdown hose over the gunwale of the vessel with a stream of seawater coming out of it. The 1-1/2-inch-diameter plastic hose, which was not secured or tied down to the gunwale, was located within several feet of the three crew members.
A few minutes after of the deckhand took over the grinding; the washdown hose flipped off the gunwale and soaked the deckhand and the welder. The deckhand who was holding the grinder was kneeling on the wooden deck planks when the water soaked his left side and down his back. Within seconds of being soaked the deckhand fell flat on deck. The welder reached over and disconnected the grinder from the electrical outlet and then ran to get help.
The deck boss was the first to arrive at the scene and found the deckhand lying motionless, with no pulse and not breathing. The deckhand was moved off of the open deck and the deck boss administered CPR for the next two hours; the deckhand could not be revived.
The skipper started hauling the longliner’s fishing gear and made preparations to return to port. The skipper notified the Coast Guard and local authorities of the casualty. Upon arrival in port the deckhand’s remains were turned over to the local Marine Patrol and then to his family.
Lessons learned
An investigation determined the deckhand died of cardiac arrest as a result of electrocution. Contributing factors included a lack of supervision by the chief engineer, assigning a task to a relatively inexperienced crew member in an unsafe environment, failure to recognize the hazards present (use of electrical equipment with water on deck and a running water hose in close proximity), use of ungrounded electrical tools, and lack of proper personal protective gear (use of leather or other non-conductive gloves and non-conductive matting).
While not an all-inclusive list, when doing maintenance on electrical systems or circuits, or working with electrical tools and equipment, especially in the maritime environment, you should never work alone. Use insulating material to cover grounded metal to which the crew member may be exposed. Cover metal handles of tools with insulating material. Take off loose clothing and accessories that might make unintended contact with live parts. Ensure clothing and shoes are as dry as possible. Wear rubber insulating gloves. Wear non-metallic eye and face protection. Have someone standing by to turn off the power.
This article is based on U.S. Coast Guard reporting and is intended to bring safety issues to the attention of our readers. It is not intended to judge or reach conclusions regarding the ability or capacity of any person, living or dead, or any boat or piece of equipment.
